The Wolf and His Queen
by geekyfiki
Summary: After the defeat of Ganondorf, Zelda finds herself fighting for her right to rule the kingdom without a king. However, with the help of a maid, she finds the Hero of Twilight at her doorstep, conveniently at the same time her court attempts to convince her to marry. (After Twilight Princess, rated T to be safe. Zelink. COMPLETE!)
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N): Hey, it's geekyfiki here, and I'm just telling you guys that I'm trying to write a Zelink fanfiction, but I haven't totally mapped it out yet. ^^' Yeah, typical of me, I know. Sooo if you have any cute ideas, let me know! I'm rating this T juuuust in case Zelda swears or Link chops off someone's head. Who knows.  
Also, if you've read my other fanfiction, A Link to the Middle, you'll notice that Miriam is in here. To say the least, I'm not shipping Miriam with Link this time (which is a huge surprise, actually). But enough of my ranting. Just enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Zelda or any characters other than my OCs ((Miriam, that one archduke guy, etc.)). I really wish I did, but I don't. Sorry, kids. **

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Chapter 1

Zelda stood over the balcony overlooking Castle Town with a rather persisting sense of emptiness. It was true: Link had saved Hyrule from Zant and Ganondorf, had banished the Twilight Realm into where it belonged, and had conquered death various times. However, the princess still found herself feeling isolated from her people and her country as a whole. That being said, it did comfort the heir to the throne that her country was _finally_ at peace. With her turning of age, her coronation was hastily approaching her like a skilled Sheikah.

She sighed, straightening her back. No matter what she felt, the princess knew she had to handle her usual princess duties. Hiding her pout, she walked back inside the castle, strutting down the halls with her chin high. Zelda had learned to be a rather exceptional actress. The blonde wandered the corridors, smiling on the outside, while she pondered other things inside. _I wonder where Link is,_ she mused for the twentieth time. As soon as Midna had disappeared, he had gone off and completely vanished. Her court had told her that he was off fighting the remainders of the war, but she still pondered whether he was doing well. _Is he even alive? _As soon as the thought popped into her innocent mind, she shoved it aside roughly. In the back of her mind, however, the gears turned without any hint of stopping.

With all the thoughts swirling in her head faster and faster, she had little time to think about her surroundings. As a result, she clumsily bumped into a servant, startling her. "I'm so sorry, your highness!" the servant exclaimed, picking up the tray she had been holding. Zelda bent over to help her.

"No, no, it is my fault. I was not watching where I was walking," the brunette smiled, handing the servant her tray before smoothing her cream colored dress. "I have not seen you around here before. What is your name?" she asked politely, as the princess had never actually had an informal conversation with anyone.

"My name? It's Miriam, my lady," she bowed her head, though it was obvious she had never had experience working with royalty before.

"It is nice to meet you, Miriam. I will be more careful next time," the princess laughed, walking away before Miriam the servant had any time to say another word of apology. Continuing her stroll down the halls, Zelda resumed her lost thought about absolutely nothing in particular. She was sure that her childhood tutors would have scolded her for using her imagination on anything but works of art or poetry, but the princess did not care. She was an adult now, and she could use her imagination all she wanted.

Finally, she came across her favorite statue in the entire castle: a simple angel folding its hands in prayer. It was barely smaller than the princess herself, the wings not quite spread out all the way. She traced her delicate fingers along the statue's wings, recalling when she used to look up at those wings as a child. The statue seemed massive to her child self, but now seemed rather small. Looking around, Zelda made sure no one was around. Not only was the statue lovely, but it was also very helpful. She tugged on the left wing of the angel, and a satisfying _click!_ occurred. With that, the entire wall moved, revealing a secret passageway.

Zelda rapidly moved inside, closing the entryway behind her. The torches on the walls lit up the secluded room with dim, flickering luminescence. Being in her own mysterious cavern, she could finally toss manners aside as if they were nothing more than an average piece of trash. Lifting her skirts, she ran over to the far end of the wall, where the elegant ruler flung the wooden piece covering a hole. From there, she could look out of a grate and into the large meeting room. One of the brunette's favorite unladylike things to do was eavesdrop on the court. And one of the favorite topics in that room was talking about Hyrule's future. Specifically: Princess Zelda.

"She is of age now!" Count Maurice, shouted. He was always yelling and carrying on about things, while the other noblemen did not seem to care.

"Yes, but she can rule on her own," Bernard the grand duke reminded in a calming voice. Zelda rather liked Bernard. As far as she could remember, he was one of her father's closest friends, and he was always calm and collected. The white haired man never took situations too hastily and always thought things through. "Her grandmother did that for quite some time."

"Yes, but her husband died," another nobleman pointed out. The princess gritted her teeth- another action she really was not supposed to do.

"Hyrule tradition states that a princess marries before becoming queen," Maurice cried out. The other noblemen nodded, agreeing.

"Aye. However, who do you suggest she would marry?" Bernard questioned. "There are no countries around with princes her age, you realize. Since there are no suitors of royal blood, we would have to train and work with another child. It takes years for them to learn how to be royalty. It has taken our very own princess eighteen years, and she was practically _born_ to be a princess."

"Do you really think Hyrule's people will accept that? 'We don't have a king for you because we couldn't _train_ him in time.' There will be rioting everywhere. The princess has supporters, but even they would agree. We need a king," Maurice growled, his voice still booming. Zelda's face was as red as a cherry with absolute furry. She felt violated, infuriated, and frustrated. It was _her_ life they were talking about, not just some petty matter of property. Eighteen _years_ of her life had been spent on working to become the monarch of Hyrule—how could they think she was inadequate? The more she thought about it, the more loathing she felt toward the court.

Instead of staying to hear the repulsive conversation about her matrimony to some noblemen who hardly knew who she was, the rather enraged princess exited her secret room, checking to make sure no one was in sight. She continued her seemingly indifferent walk down the halls of the castle. No matter how skilled she was as an actress, the petite brunette could not seem to hide her newly provoked attitude. She could feel her cheeks start to turn brighter with disgust. Her brow furrowed— a scene that was unusual for anyone who knew her.

"Milady?" someone interrupted her thoughts. She turned around, still dazed from her collision of emotions. In front of her stood the servant from earlier. _What was her name…? Miriam! That's right, _Zelda applauded herself for remembering.

"Yes, Miriam? Is there something you require?"

"It may not be my place to say so, but you seem rather upset. Is there something you need?" the girl asked. Her emerald eyes gazed into the princess's cerulean ones with no hint of fear or startle. She seemed quite sincere.

"Ah… Yes, but I am afraid I am to be alone in my worry," the princess sighed.

"I understand. Let me know if you need anything," Miriam bowed her head, leaving Zelda's presence. It was still obvious she was new around here. She was respectful, but the way she presented herself made one think that she was not raised in a castle, or even trained to be in one. Zelda pondered the girl's mannerisms. She could hear a song down the hallways from where Miriam had headed off. She listened closer, walking in that direction. _I have heard that song before…_ she mused. She recalled something from long ago. _Is that not the song Link hummed just months ago? It's Epona's Song,_ with that thought, Zelda had two unladylike choices: yell down the hall for Miriam, or run after her. She chose the latter.

Picking up her skirts, the princess jogged down the corridor toward Miriam. "Miriam!" she cried, finally catching up with the servant. Miriam turned around, perplexed.

"Yes, milady?" she answered loyally. "Is there something you needed?"

"Where did you grow up?" Zelda asked, trying not to pant.

"Ordon Village, your highness."

"Would you happen to know Link?" Miriam let out a laugh.

"Of course! The ranch hand from Fado's ranch. I grew up with him. Everyone knows him, especially since he saved all of Hyrule."

"Do you know his location?" Zelda questioned further, hoping to get an answer out of her. Miriam nodded, thinking hard for a moment.

"He should be around Kakariko Village, near the bridge of Eldin. Last I heard, he was clearing out the rest of the Bulbos there. The villagers aren't too fond of those creatures. But if you need him, I may be able to go out there and find him."

"Oh, that will not be necessary. Thank you, though. You have given me more information than even the members of my court have been able to do. Would you like to be promoted to lady-in-waiting?" Zelda smiled. Miriam looked astonished.

"M-milady, I would love to, but I am afraid that I will only be staying here for a short while. Not to mention that I am absolutely _dreadful_ at helping people with their hair and makeup. I can't even do my own," she giggled, running her hand through her long brown hair. "However, if it makes the princess happy, I will be thrilled to be your lady-in-waiting."

"Your answer delights me. I will send a letter to the head butler at once informing him of your promotion. Thank you for your patience, Miriam," the princess curtseyed to the newly promoted servant.

"Thank you, your highness," Miriam said, attempting a rather pitiful curtsey right back to Zelda. Zelda stifled a giggle, walking away toward her room. Upon opening the large wooden door, familiarity greeted her. The room was rather plain, a simple bed with lavender bed sheets, a dresser in the corner to match, along with a nightstand and desk. It was always kept clean in her room, though she was not in it very often. Her life was full of activities, and when it wasn't, she was usually strolling around in the castle, eavesdropping, evading her ladies-in-waiting, and doing other things that really were not fit for a princess.

She walked over to the desk, quickly writing a letter to the head butler in her best handwriting—her only handwriting, for that matter. Zelda was sure that if she were not trained in such a thing, her handwriting would resemble cucco scratch. Then again, the princess thought she would make a fantastic townsperson. She rang a bell for a servant, gave it to them, and sat at her desk again. Her fingers drummed against the wood of the oak writing desk. Moments later, another servant arrived.

"Your highness," he greeted, bowing deeply before rising again. "The Arch Duke Bernard has requested your presence in the throne room, along with the other members of the court."

"Thank you, you may take your leave," the brunette told the servant, letting out a small sigh. No doubt Bernard was the one to tell her about the marriage agreement. The other noblemen did not want to bring such news to the princess, though her company did nothing to spook the gentlemen. No, quite the opposite, in fact. She was nothing more than a fragile pawn in their little games. But what they did not realize was that the princess did have a temper. And after eighteen years of staying rather composed, she was about ready to snap.

Zelda stood up, brushing off her dress and walking out of her room. The last thing she wanted to do was to get married to some kind of stuffy prince who thought he knew more about Hyrule than its own princess. She shook her head. _I cannot let that happen,_ she sighed. As much as Zelda did not want to marry, she also wanted the best for Hyrule. Her love for the country ran deep in her veins. She had been raised to love it, but not many could find fault in their nation. It was peaceful, full of people who were kind souls and supportive. Hyrule was beautiful and unique, and it was Zelda's job to protect it.

She finally made it to the throne room, her pale hand resting on the handle. Taking a deep breath, she pulled it open with great force and entered the room with her back straightened, hoping she looked more confident than she felt. The throne room hadn't been occupied for quite some time, so the court members kept it in use by turning it into a kind of meeting room. The small table set up in the corner was filled with her members of the court, who stood upon her arrival. _At least they have manners,_ the princess considered, trying to comfort herself.

"You may be seated," she growled in a cold, regal voice. She sat at the head of the table, sitting up as straight as she could, making eye contact with as many noblemen as she could. The only ones who did not look away was Archduke Bernard.

"Your highness," he said, bowing his head with respect. "It has come to the court's attention that you have not been crowned yet. We have one request before you are crowned-" She couldn't stand it. Her insides were burning with rage, and the feelings begged to get out somehow. Zelda stood up.

"You want me to marry," she finished for him. Bernard nodded. The other noblemen refused to look at the princess, and instead marveled at the plain wood table. Her hands slammed on the table in a rather unprincess-like way.

"I refuse," she hissed through clenched teeth. "If you do not believe that I can rule on my own, you are wrong. _You are wrong._ I may be a woman, but I have studied war tactics and economy for my entire life. I am more trained in this profession than you will ever realize. Hyrule does not need a king. It may be tradition, but it does not need to be continued. I refuse to marry, and if you argue, do not be surprised to find yourself without a job." The court was silent. Every jaw in the throne room seemed to drop. Even Archduke Bernard was petrified. The princess _never_ lost her temper. With that, she exited the room. "Get my cloak," she told a butler. She was going to go on a walk.

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**If you enjoyed it, please leave a review! I take constructive criticism-anything to help me improve my writing skills! Reviews only take a few minutes, so it would be _so_ appreciated! Leave any cute ideas or compliments in the reviews. I'm already working on Chapter 2, so it won't be long before it's up! =D**

**-geekyfiki**


	2. Chapter 2

**Heyyyy! Chapter 2 is UP. I hate to put a damper on your happiness, but please don't expect me to update this quickly every time. ^^' Sorry. I had most of chapter 2 written before I posted this story, so it was a quick finish. But enough rambling from me! Enjoy~**

**Disclaimer: Yoooo I don't own the Legend of Zelda or any characters associated with them. I just use them to make others happy. **

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Chapter 2

Hyrule's Castle Town was always soundless at night. Few people ever found themselves outside when the sun fell, and this evening was no different. The blackness covered the town like a blanket. A dark shadow moved across the plaza, trotting quickly down the boulevard. It avoided lights in fear of being spotted. It loped down the streets as though it knew the paths by heart. Finally, it stopped before Hyrule Castle. Panting, it sat down. Looking around, it realized that it was alone. Quickly, in the blink of an eye, the creature became human. A human that now, everyone knew. His sandy blonde hair, cerulean eyes, forest colored outfit, and blue shield gave him away: The Hero Chosen by the Gods.

With nearly inhuman stealth, he made his way toward the Castle, still winded. His brown boots made no sound as he jogged toward the walls. To anyone observing, they would have scoffed at him. There was no way to get into the castle, right?

Wrong. Link pulled something out of his bag and held it tightly. Seconds later, he was on the roof of the castle, still unnoticed. The Ordonian went unseen by the castle guards, which was rather difficult, since the guards had been uneasy since Ganondorf's attack. They were, however, as deaf as ever. He crept along the parapet of the castle, careful to keep himself concealed from the guards. As soon as one started walking toward him, he swung over the edge of the wall, keeping his hold on the cold stone. There, he dangled from it as the guard walked by. As soon as he passed by, Link hoisted himself back up, proceeding with his stroll down the parapet.

Finally, the hero reached where he wanted to be and grinned, his white teeth flashing against the moonlight. He leapt off the barrier, seeming to fall forever. He finally reached the soft grass of the courtyard, completely unharmed. Looking around, he could not quite find for what he was looking. He frowned, his eyes scanning the courtyard, the darkness not helping his search.

"Looking for something?" A voice asked. Link jumped, unsheathing his sword in the blink of an eye. He held it up, the moonlight gleaming off of it, creating a sort of glow. "Easy, there, Link. It's just me," she chuckled, stepping into the soft light. Upon seeing the familiar face, he sheathed his sword.

"Miriam, what are you doing here?" he questioned his childhood friend.

"What are _you _doing here?" the brunette maid inquired. Not waiting for an answer, she continued. "The princess has been asking about you, you know. I'm sure she'd love to see you." The blonde looked down, suddenly afraid. "What's the Triforce of Courage good for if you can't talk to girls?"

"I can talk to you," he snapped back. Again, Miriam laughed.

"I don't count. I grew up with you. By the way, were you looking for this?" she held out something on a leather string. _Epona's Whistle._ Link's eyes gave him away. He needed the whistle, and Miriam knew it. He reached his hand out rapidly, grabbing at it. While the hero was quick, Miriam was quicker. She had already taken a leap back, tying the whistle around her wrist. "You can't have it," she smirked. Link clenched his fist.

"Miriam, come on. I need that, and you know I do." She _always _did this. Even as children, she tormented him with her teasing. She was always faster, stealthier, and craftier. When he discovered he was the Triforce of Courage, he was thoroughly confused as to why it wasn't Miriam. But Miriam wasn't the new Hero of Time.

"You can have it back," she purred. He waited. There was a catch—there always was. "You just have to spend a week in the castle."

"_Miriam,_" Link growled.

"_Link,_" she grinned back. Link always thought of Miriam as a sort of fox or cat of some sort. She always had something in that mind of hers, and there was no way she would let another have _their_ way.

"I'm not even invited," he remarked.

"Oh, but you are. I just have to hint to the princess. You know I can get her thinking it's her own idea. Go on, hit me with another excuse."

"I don't have anything to wear."

"Oh, please. Any tailor would make you something in an instant. All your clothes just need a good wash and a few good patches."

"What would I say to the princess?"

"Boast about your adventure. Goddess knows my ears could use a break."

"What would I do when she's busy?"

"The castle has a _splendid_ weaponry. I'm sure I could catch a break and beat the crap out of your Goddess-blessed butt like I used to."

"You never won," Link said immediately, his pride wounded.

"Ha! So you will stay?" Miriam said, a relatively smug look on her face. She held up Epona's Whistle for emphasis.

"_Fine,_" Link grumbled. "But only because I want that whistle back, and I need to prove that I'm better than you."

"Sure," Miriam giggled, taking a few steps back into the shadows. "But we all know it's because you fancy the princess." Without warning, the maid disappeared back inside the castle, taking Link's precious item with her.

Link gritted his teeth with irritation. Miriam had always been like a sister to him. She was supportive, loving, and sympathetic when she was obligated to be. Most of the time, however, she was a pain in the unmentionables. Nonetheless, he took the grappling hook back out of his bag and grappled himself up to the parapet. He headed back into Castle Town, no longer caring who saw him. He was too agitated to bother with taking back roads. As a result, he discovered someone nearby. Freezing, the hero listened cautiously.

The sound of footsteps was nearly muted. To Link's ears, however, they were very clear. It was apparent that they were trying to stay noiseless, but they were evidently not trained in the art of concealment. _It's not Miriam,_ he pondered, thinking how Miriam would be able to sneak up on the Hero of Twilight with ease. He spun around, the heels of his leather boots making a scratching noise against the rocks that made up the paths of Hyrule Castletown.

He found a hooded figure some distance away from him, somewhat familiar. The blonde shook his head, ignoring the distinct feeling that he had seen this person before. Link slowly reached behind his head, taking out the Master Sword with a sound that resonated throughout the nearly silent marketplace. The covered character looked up. Two pairs of blue eyes met, and both Hylians stopped in their tracks, simply gazing at each other. They stayed like this for a few moments, not saying a word. Then, Link remembered his manners.

"Y-your Highness," he stuttered, bowing awkwardly in front of her. Zelda bent her head a little. Whether it was out of bashfulness or disgrace he could not determine. However, he did see the princess's pink lips turn up in a slight smile.

"No need to bow, Hero of Twilight," she said at last. "It is an honor to stand in your presence."

"P-princess…" Link didn't know what to say. The hero rarely spoke, let alone held a conversation with the future monarch of Hyrule.

"Would you like to stay at the castle for a period of time?" Zelda questioned suddenly. Link stared at her. _Miriam is fast, but she couldn't be fast enough to reach the princess already,_ he wondered. His heart leapt unusually at the thought of the princess actually enjoying his presence.

"I… Only if your Highness will accept me as a guest," he said clumsily, his voice cracking like a young lad moving past adolescence. He cleared his throat. Though he thought he was humiliating himself, the princess thought of it as a rather charming quirk.

"Yes. Please, do accompany me to the castle. We will make arrangements for you to find a room, and you can rest as soon as possible," she said regally (he noticed that _her_ voice never cracked). Link strolled over to meet her, following close behind as she led him through the quiet streets of Hyrule Castletown and straight to the palace. The entire walk was silent, not another word exchanged between the two of them.

"Princess!" a voice exclaimed. Out of habit, Link spun around, ready to attack. A guard stood before them, suddenly tongue-tied. "Ah… You're back," he chuckled, scratching his head. "We were looking for you." Zelda's expression did not change.

"We have a guest. Tell the maids to get his room ready," she said coldly. Her tone sent shivers down Link's back. _Am I not welcomed here?_ he considered, panicking for a moment. _She did invite me, though._ He relaxed somewhat, still not fully convincing himself.

The guard scurried off, leaving Zelda to show Link around the castle. Link smiled. It looked just like it did before he battled Ganondorf, but livelier. It had been empty and creepy when he was last in it. Now, it was well-lit and bustling with strangers. The hero had been overwhelmed with fright the last time he was in the palace, and this visit was only slightly different. He was still anxious. However, it was not because he was about to risk his life to save a princess he had met approximately twice, but because he was about to stay in a castle he slaughtered the Gerudo king in, and he was with the princess he had met approximately three times now.

"Would you like me to give a tour of the castle?" Zelda asked nobly. Her face betrayed her voice's hospitality. She looked exhausted, probably from walking around Castletown.

"Isn't it a bit late?" Link asked, realizing just how informal he sounded. He cringed inwardly at his carefree manner. The brave Hero of Courage wasn't so used to having to be official all the time. He watched the princess's face for traces of disgust, but could not find one. Instead, her blue eyes seemed to light up a little at his casual speech. Whether it was from his word usage or the idea of going to bed, he couldn't quite tell. Nonetheless, she nodded.

"I will show you to your room," she announced, walking toward the grand marble stairs. Link trailed along behind her, wondering whether he was leaving dirt on the pristine floors. He made a mental note to wipe off his boots once he got in the solace of his own room. The princess wound her way through the palace, finally arriving at the room Link would be staying at. "My room is just across the hall, over there," she pointed to the door at the end of the hall. "Let me know if you need anything. There is also a bell for servants. Stay for as long as you would like. Breakfast is typically served around 7 in the morning, but anything later is just fine." Link noticed that Zelda seemed to relax a little more when she wasn't around people she had to impress.

"Thank you, your Highness," Link bowed. He expected the princess to leave, but she stood there, crossing her legs and looking down.

"Link?" she murmured. His heart beat faster. Referring to him by his first name made him flabbergasted.

"Y-yes, princess?"

"Please call me Zelda." Her voice was barely audible, but it still echoed in his skull, making his brain stop functioning. He managed to catch himself gawking before the brunette princess looked up.

"Yes, Zelda," he said, standing up straighter. He liked how she smiled when he said her name.

"Good night, Link." With that, Zelda closed his door, leaving him to his own thoughts. The room was dark; a candle on the nightstand was the only thing shedding a small, flicking light upon the rest of the chamber. It was small and simple, but Link didn't mind. He would rather have a room with the necessities than have something lavish. A plain bed, nightstand, dresser, and desk were the only things in it, along with another door he figured led to a closet.

Sitting upon his bed, he started taking off his boots, glad to be sitting on a bed for the first time in weeks. He took off his green cap, running his hands through his knotted hair. He would have to take a much needed bath in the morning. His travels, however, left him feeling sore all over. The hero had just been in Kakariko Village, managing the enemy population. He had run all the way to Castletown in a matter of hours.

For what reason, the hero could not say. Just thinking about the town made him long to see it again. He had already finished killing most of the Bulblins around the quiet village, and he had nothing better to do. He had expected to retrieve his lost item that night, spend the day in the town, and then travel to Ordon around midday. His plan, however, was foiled by his very own childhood friend. Link shook his head, pulling his tunic and chainmail over his head, leaving him in his off-white undershirt and pants.

"Link and Zelda sitting in a tree-" a voice sang mockingly. Link jumped up, grabbing the Master Sword sitting next to him on the bed. Literally sitting on the open closet door was Miriam, her balance perfect. Her figure was simply a silhouette in the dark room.

"Miriam!" Link growled, putting the Master Sword down. "What in the name of Din, Farore, and Nayru are you doing here?" To say the least, Miriam still had him miffed. It was _her_ fault that he got dragged into the awkward situations with Hyrule's monarch and staying in the very castle he killed Ganondorf in.

"I'm surprised, Link," she laughed, leaping down from the doorway with the grace of a cat. She shut the closet door silently. "You managed to get into the castle all by yourself. And I didn't have to say a word to the princess."

"You're the only reason I'm here," he hissed. Miriam sat next to him on the bed, her eyebrows rising at his last remark.

"Oh really? Let's backtrack, shall we? Let's see, had you recovered Epona's Whistle, you would have exited the same way, taking the same route back you did. You still would have come across the princess, been unable to refuse her invitation, and still wound up here. So it really is not _my_ fault why you're here." As much as she made him irritated and provoked, he knew she had a point. His silence was enough to boost her ego. "That's what I thought," she smirked, walking to the door.

"M-Miriam?" Link frowned, wanting to ask her something.

"Yes?" Noting his tone of voice, she turned serious for once.

"How do I talk to her?" he whispered. Miriam's grin was small at first, but then took over her entire face rather swiftly.

"Ah, Link," she chuckled, hands on her hips. "As much as I'd like to help you out there, you have to figure it out on your own." With that, she was gone. Link was left in his room to ponder everything, thinking about just _how_ to talk to the very princess of Hyrule.

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**Hope you enjoyed! Tell me what you think of it so far! :D ((Especially what you think of Miriam. XD))**


	3. Chapter 3

**I am like the worst person in the entire universe for not updating omg. It has taken me far too long. However, this chapter is literally one page off from being as long as the other two combined, so perhaps this will kind of make up for that? I dunno. I'm still a pretty awful person. XP**

**Quick thanks to Moe for helping me edit! However, if you find any typos or grammatical errors, lemme know! I have been _loving_ these reviews. Loving them. So much. Thank you to every single one of you for taking the time to write a review. It really means a lot to me, and it keeps me motivated! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters other than Miriam and Bernie and whatever other side characters I throw in there to keep the plot moving along. **

**Enjoy, lovelies!**

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Chapter 3

The royal princess of Hyrule woke up rather satisfyingly. The sunlight tapering through her thin curtains woke her up, though it was not blinding. Zelda had to admit—one of the best parts about being royalty was being able to stay in bed a little longer, even if she was awake. She sat up, stretching her dainty little arms and scratching her head. _A princess is always timely,_ a voice in her head said. Her old mentor used to say that all the time, but she merely shoved it out of her mind.

Standing up, the princess wrapped a robe around her waist and walked out to the balcony. The air outside was absolutely intoxicating. Taking deep breaths, she enjoyed her temporary peace. However, she knew she had important duties and had to get to them before the noblemen pestered her maids to pester her. She stood in front of her mirror, brushing her soft brown hair. Zelda rarely left her hair down unless she was asleep, and even then she slept in a braid. A soft knock at the door made her jump.

"Who is it?" she questioned, ripping out a rather large knot of brunette hair. She frowned, looking at her fluffy, uncooperative mane.

"It is Miriam, your new lady-in-waiting, your Highness." Zelda smiled. She had forgotten about yesterday. _Yesterday… What did I do yesterday? _She pondered sleepily. It hit her like a ton of bricks. _Link!_ The princess stood in front of the mirror, terrified. _What do I do about that? Why did I invite him to the castle in the first place?_ The princess's mind raced with anxious thoughts, her hands nearly shaking at the thought of the very Hero Chosen by the Gods in the palace. "May I come in, milady?" Miriam's voice persisted. Zelda nodded, but realized Miriam could not see her through the door.

"O-of course, Miriam," she called. The lady-in-waiting let herself in, closing the door behind her. She stood there for a moment, taking in the princess's room.

"I would assume that you can dress yourself?" Miriam chuckled. Zelda stared at her, astonished with her blunt nature. Most people did not talk to her with such informality. She kind of liked it, though. She had others groveling at her feet all the time, helping her dress herself as if it was a task that was much too hard for a delicate princess.

"Yes," Zelda smiled, almost laughing at Miriam's direct personality. "Although corsets have always bothered me." Miriam shook her head, letting out a little _tsk_ with her tongue.

"Those things are awful. I have to admit that I did not start wearing one on a regular basis before I came here," she shrugged, rummaging through Zelda's closet as though it was second nature. She pulled out a simple green dress, something the princess had not worn in a long time. Miriam muttered something under her breath with a grin, but Zelda could not quite hear her. "This will look great on you. Would you like to wear this?" her maid asked, holding it up, even pretending to put it on herself to model the dress. Zelda had to let out a giggle, nodding.

"Yes, I shall wear it," she answered, finally putting her brush down. Zelda began to put her hair into a braid, but Miriam stopped her.

"Why wear it up? Your hair is beautiful when it's down as well," Miriam smiled. "I-if you don't mind me saying that," she added hastily.

"You have a point," the monarch considered. "But I shall save that for another day. Perhaps a different kind of braid today, though?" The princess found herself asking for Miriam's advice more and more frequently. The more she thought about Link, the more nervous it made her. _He saved my life and all of my country. How could I not be nervous?_ She questioned herself. After realizing that Miriam and Link were childhood friends, she began questioning Miriam. She _thought_ she was being coy about hiding her interest, but as anyone knows, curiosity is a hard emotion to conceal.

"Would you like these in your hair?" Miriam asked, pulling out white daisy hairpins from nowhere.

"Where did you find those?" the princess laughed. Miriam shrugged.

"I'm sure there are lots of things hidden at the bottom of your jewelry box that you haven't uncovered in a while," the Ordonian answered. While gently putting the pins in the princess's hair, Miriam hummed a rather creepy song with a nonchalant nature.

"How did you learn that song?" Zelda asked, her inquisitiveness getting the best of her. Miriam cleverly hid a smug look.

"Link used to hum it all the time. I believe it is called the Song of Healing. The story behind it could give one the chills, but it's peaceful, and it always seems to be stuck in my head," she explained. Zelda nodded as Miriam stepped back, marveling at the monarch's hair. "You look lovely, milady."

"Thank you, Miriam. I have enjoyed your time as a lady-in-waiting more than any other I have experienced," the princess said bluntly. _Miriam is beginning to rub off on me,_ she thought with a smile.

"Ah, thank you, milady. I have not been here for long, though. You may learn to dislike my blunt nature," Miriam beamed, scanning over Zelda's outfit. "Link will love that dress." The sudden comment made the princess blush.

"E-excuse me?" she stuttered, alarmed by the rapid turn of conversation. Miriam simply let out a laugh.

"Oh, milady, do forgive me for being so blatantly honest, how thick are you people!? You're gorgeous, Link, as much as it pains me to say, is nothing less than attractive, and you two are constantly blushing and smiling in each other's presence. The least I can do for you is push it along a little." Zelda did not know what to do. She pondered throwing Miriam out, but she really did not do anything wrong, and it did not upset her. She knew that if she argued, Miriam would just smirk, and if she agreed—well, that would be _much_ too embarrassing. "Of course, Link will never say he likes the dress unless he's tortured. Thick-skulled nimrod," Miriam muttered.

"Miriam, what is your relationship with Link?" the princess asked tentatively. Miriam did not even _try_ to hide the smug look creeping along her face.

"We were raised as if we were brother and sister. He's my lame younger brother, and I'm the cool older sister. I taught him everything he knows." Miriam paused, leaning in closer to Zelda. "And please don't tell him this, but I am extraordinarily proud of him." Zelda giggled.

"You two really are like siblings," she commented. Miriam nodded, then clapped her hands together.

"Alright, time to go to breakfast and attend your princess-y duties." Zelda was rushed out of her room, shoved right into the corridor by her own lady-in-waiting. Zelda did, however, like the turn of events. The way Miriam treated her was less like a master and more like a friend. She had a smile on her face as she gracefully walked down the stairs to the dining hall. The more she thought about her decision to upgrade Miriam to her lady-in-waiting, the more proud of herself she became.

"Ah, Your Highness. What would you like for breakfast?" a butler asked her, bowing in her presence. Zelda's response was immediate and nearly robotic.

"The usual, thank you, sir butler," she said instantly, the words falling out of her mouth as if she had rehearsed them until they became meaningless sounds. Upon her entrance, everyone in the hall stood up. She motioned for them to sit once again. She took her usual spot at the end of the table. Archduke Bernard calmly walked up to her. _A brave move,_ she thought with a sneer. _After my display yesterday, perhaps they will think twice before forcing something upon me. _

"Your Highness," he bowed.

"Stand up straight, Your Grace. I am at the breakfast table, and you are making me feel uncomfortable with your formality," she hissed coldly. Even her favorite nobleman was getting on her nerves.

"The council has thought much on your decision, and we would like to give you a day to think about marriage. We do not rush you, Your Highness," he said.

"My decision will forever remain the same," she warned.

"Yes, Your Highness." Bernard leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. "I have convinced them to give you the day off. They think it is for considering the marriage proposal, but I do believe it is time you had a bit of a holiday." _I knew there was a reason why I liked Archduke Bernard more than the others,_ the princess pondered.

"Thank you, Your Grace. I will gladly take the day to _consider my matrimony." _With that, the archduke left her presence. She ate her breakfast, rose from the table, and exited the room. Upon seeing a butler in the hall, she called out to him.

"Yes, Your Highness?" he responded.

"Would you find my lady-in-waiting, Miriam, for me? Please inform her that I have the day off." Zelda leaned in toward the young butler, a trick she had learned long ago from her mother. "Please privately inform her that I have no clue what to do with my time." Sure enough, the young man nodded courteously and bounded up the stairs in search of Miriam. In the meanwhile, she retreated back to her room to perhaps play the harp or take up another activity.

»•§•«

Link, too, took advantage of staying in the castle as one of the higher ranking guests, and used his time to just simply lie there in bed. Instead of being like the princess, however, he woke up much earlier. His travels had gotten him into a sort of odd sleeping schedule, so he woke well before sunrise and dressed himself in a simple white long-sleeve shirt with some simple brown pants, tied all together with his sword and shield. While he did trust the security of the palace, it still made him a bit on edge after all he had seen on his adventures over Hyrule.

After tending to Epona, he wandered around the halls of the castle for a while. At least until the butlers and maids had awoken to do their jobs. Then, he retreated back to his room to sharpen the blade of the Master Sword. An hour or two later, a rapid knock at his door made him jump. After being so concentrated on sharpening the sword, he had lost track of time.

"Come in," he responded, quickly calming himself. As soon as the words left his mouth, the door swung open, revealing Miriam in a disturbingly different outfit. It took him a moment to process what was different about it, until he realized that she was wearing a dress—something he had never seen before. She did not, however, remark on the subject of her getup, so he did not comment. He simply stared.

"I have just learned something of extreme value," she grinned, hopping inside with a smirk and sitting in a dusty old chair. When her childhood friend did not immediately respond, she went on. "Don't you want to know what it is?" she practically begged him to let her tease him.

"Not particularly," he said, looking back down at the sword in an attempt to hide his beaming face. He simply loved to tease her right back. But Miriam would not have it.

"I have just learned that Zelda is taking the day off from her princess-y duties."

"So?"

"_So,_ that means you two will be able to go out on a picnic together!" she announced as if it were the absolute most obvious thing.

"And why would I do that?"

"Because I would personally love to attend your wedding, and the two of you would have the cutest little children," she smirked. Link shook his head.

"Meer, the princess is a princess, and I'm a ranch hand. At any rate, she needs to marry someone that is king material, not me. Not to mention that I hardly know the girl."

"Which is an even better reason to go out on a picnic with her," the lady-in-waiting got up from the chair and walked over to wear Link was sitting on the edge of the bed. "You see, the princess is already starting to loosen up with me around. She's much less formal than she is around her noblemen, and I feel like she'll warm up even more to you."

"I still don't think it's a good idea," he shrugged.

"What else do you have to do?"

"I have to tend to Epona," he said, though he had done so that morning, and the stable hands were more than capable.

"You liar. You took care of her this morning."

"How do you know?"

"Well, first of all, you're not the first one up in the morning all the time. And you _always _take care of her first thing in the morning," Miriam countered. She was right, and she did have him rather trapped. He couldn't escape this round of childish banter. Plus, he was itching to get out of the castle already.

"Alright, fine," Link grumbled.

"Fine, _what?"_ Miriam pushed further.

"I'll ask the princess to go out to a picnic with me," he sighed, shaking his head in defeat. Miriam's grinning face changed his mood from contentment to irritation. She clapped her hands together in satisfaction.

"I'll get the basket ready for everything," she cheered, dancing out of the room like a ballet dancer. Link was left alone in the small room. With a groan, he got up and began to straighten up his hair as best he could. The tangles in the blonde hair were rather unmanageable, and it had been a while since his last haircut. Miriam typically volunteered to cut his hair, though she wasn't horribly skilled with scissors or style.

After brushing his fingers through his hair a few times, he left it alone. Miriam called it his "messy look". He washed his face and brushed off the top of his boots. He didn't have much else to do. His face was clean, his hair was… somewhat acceptable, and his clothes were pretty much sterile. Now all he had to do was wait.

»•§•«

"Princess! Princess!" Miriam swung open the door of the princess' room without warning and ran over to Zelda, who was practicing her harp.

"Miriam, what is wrong!?" she exclaimed, immediately setting the harp down.

"The Hero Chosen by Gods has requested you. He would like to take you for a picnic," the lady-in-waiting smirked.

"Was this your idea?" Zelda asked, trying desperately to hide the knowing smile on her face.

"No, Zel, it was Link's." Zelda was less shocked by the fact that Miriam was lying to her face, and more flabbergasted by the fact that Miriam just called her _Zel._

"Zel?"

"Yes, Zel. Your name is Zelda, and that's a whole two syllables, so I shortened it to Zel. Link calls me Meer sometimes, and that Archduke Bernard dude-I call him Bernie."

"That is two syllables, though."

"Yeah, but Bernie is so much better than Bernard or Bern, don't you think?"

"I never really thought of it that way," the princess chuckled. "Do you know when Link will be ready?" Miriam's clever little face hid the fact that she was unprepared for the question, and she quickly formed an answer.

"Noon, milady. Which is rather soon, so you had better get ready. I packed the basket. Link isn't the best at organization…" she frowned, leaving Zelda to herself. Zelda sighed, packing the harp back up and smoothing out the ruffles on her green dress. She checked the mirror quickly before steadily walking out of her room. _Alright, stay calm,_ she thought to herself, though her stomach and heart betrayed. Zelda made her way down to the front corridor, where she met with her lady-in-waiting yet again.

"Link is getting the horses ready," Miriam winked, handing Zelda the picnic basket.

"Would you care to remind me again why we are doing this?" Zelda grumbled. Miriam patted her head.

"Aw, the princess is being pouty," Miriam mocked, her bottom lip sticking out. "Keep your chin up and humor the poor kid. He never developed great social skills as a child, so he's still kind of awkward. Oh, and if he starts chewing with his mouth open just give him a little smack upside the head. It fixes the problem right away. You may have to teach him how to eat with silverware, who knows," she jokingly told the royalty.

"You two are just like siblings," Zelda laughed, clutching the basket tightly. Link came walking into the front hall, the smell of outdoors following him like a shadow.

"Alright, you two have fun," the little brunette winked, shoving Link and Zelda out the door immediately. Miriam shut the door behind them. They stood dumbfounded on the front steps of the castle, saying nothing at first.

Finally, Link interrupted the awkward quiet with a simple "I have the horses ready." With that simple statement, the two hit it off. By the time they reached their horses, the happy two had already chatted about horses, dogs, and weaponry (which did not go with the rest of their conversation, but it was a pitiful attempt made by Hyrule's own hero to keep the conversation up).

"Do you think you could teach me to use a sword?" Zelda asked him tentatively. "I only know how to use a bow and arrow, and that is not exactly helpful at point-blank."

"Of course. You'll have to find an hour or two in between your court meetings and whatnot, but I would be happy to teach you. Honestly, I haven't had much to do after everything that's happened. Just herding goats." Link helped Zelda onto her white mare, decorated with royal purple reins a light purple saddle, the royal family's crest engraved on the sides. The princess shrugged.

"I suppose I could sneak out between everything."

"Princess, do you mind if I ask you a question?" Link asked, mounting Epona. Zelda shook her head.

"No, go right ahead."

"Why do you talk so royally? I mean, you always make speaking so precise." Zelda pondered the question, following along next to Link at a leisurely pace.

"I do not know."

"See? Right there. You could have said 'don't'," Link pointed out. Zelda nodded, still considering it.

"I guess I could speak less properly. It'll get some getting used to," Zelda said after thinking a bit. Admittedly, it took her a moment to come up with the sentence. She even left a dangling preposition in there.

"There you go," the blonde grinned. He slowed Epona to a stop, and it was only then that Zelda realized they were already in Hyrule Field. Link leapt off of Epona, swiftly walking over to Zelda to help her off her horse.

"Thank you," she said, her voice still hinting at royalty. The princess couldn't help herself-she had been raised in a castle, after all. Link rummaged through the picnic basket Miriam had packed, searching for something. Finally, he took out a soft blue blanket and laid it out for them to sit on. The location was perfect: right next to the edge of the woods, but also beside a small pond.

"Milady," Link said, politely extending his arm as an invitation for her to sit. Still in her imperial mind, she sat down with grace, smoothing the skirt of her dress after she did so. Link seemed to laugh at her manners, but said nothing. Zelda helped set out all of the food in an orderly fashion. It seemed to Link that it bothered her when the food was not set up in a symmetrical way. Even when it was all set out, she kept fixing it. "It looks great," Link interrupted, trying desperately to get her mind off of the imperfect set up.

"Thank you for inviting me on this," the princess smiled politely. Link's nerves were finally setting in. _A picnic with the princess? I'm such a fool for falling for this._

"It's such a nice day. It'd be a shame to miss out on this weather," he replied, though he was quite distracted by some movements in the woods behind the princess. Something rustled in the trees, but he couldn't quite make out what or who it was. It quickly became a fixation to the hero.

"And what an impeccable location." The heiress carried on with the conversation, even if Link was only half paying attention. A familiar brown boot become apparent in the tree that had been moving just a moment ago. His eyes squinted with curiosity. _Who is in that tree?_ "Don't you think?" Zelda asked. _I wasn't listening!_ Link panicked. But in a split second, a familiar face peaked out from the branches, nodding frantically. _Miriam!_

"Y-yes, princess!" Link said, watching his childhood friend gently hit her palm to her forehead as if she were frustrated with him. She was well out of the princess' eyesight, but Link still worried that Zelda would think she was spying on them. Miriam signaled something else. Shoveling dirt in her mouth? He didn't comprehend.

"Is something the matter, Link?" Zelda inquired diplomatically. He snapped his eyes back to the princess, ignoring Miriam.

"No, nothing at all, your highness," he replied, trying to keep his eyes on the princess, but also watch Miriam. He finally caught on to what she was trying to say. _Eat,_ the brunette mouthed. Link nodded despite himself. Zelda stared at him quizzically. "Ah-would you like something to eat? Who knows what Miriam packed." He added the last part louder than the rest, and in a more condescending voice. The remark, however, went right over the princess' head, as her main worry was about food.

"Thank you, Link," she smiled happily, digging through the picnic basket to find some sort of food that the two of them would like. Zelda, while always polite, happened to like food much more than the average Hyrule woman. In fact, she liked food almost as much as the average 300 pound man. In the castle, she was rarely permitted to eat with the kind of diet of which she dreamed, but when she had the chance, she would eat every edible scrap in sight. This day, of course, was no exception. There were no nobles to make fun of her eating habits today. Finding sandwiches, strawberries, and other delectable items, she quickly pulled them out of the basket and arranged them neatly.

Link hardly noticed any of what was going on. He was paying far too much attention to the person hiding amongst the trees. His anger was building up. _Why did Miriam come along? She always gets in the way,_ the hero mused. He fussed over the situation in his head multiple times. Finally, he decided to ignore his childhood friend and focus on the picnic with the princess. He looked at Zelda again to notice her already chowing down on a sandwich she found in the basket. He picked one up as well and began eating. It was silent for a while. Not uncomfortably so, however. The two were simply enjoying their time in the bright, beautiful weather.

After finishing off the sandwiches, several strawberries, three cookies, and pretty much clearing the entire basket, the pair came to the conclusion that they were finished with their lunch. They packed everything up, but were reluctant to leave. "Epona seems to be enjoying herself…" Link said quietly, trying to hold onto the afternoon with the princess as much as he could.

"Both of the horses do…" Zelda trailed off. Finally, seeing as how Miriam's blunt honesty and Link's casual nature rubbed off on her, she directly stated her reluctance to go. "I don't want to go back to the castle yet," she murmured.

"Neither do I," Link responded, reclining back on the grass. Zelda stared at him, unsure whether she should join him or not. She was told not to even sit on the grass, but she realized that no one was around to call her out on it. Link obviously didn't care about getting his outfit dirty, so why should she? She tentatively laid back on the soft grass, discovering that she enjoyed the feeling of it immensely. She ran her hands through the plush foliage, letting out a giggle despite herself.

"Haven't you ever lain in the grass before?" Link questioned, smiling at the princess' simple happiness.

"Not really, no," she admitted, using her hands as a cushion for her head. Every time Link looked at the princess, he saw Miriam up in the tree. She seemed to be napping, because she was not frantically waving at him, and her head didn't peek out from the leaves. He assumed she wasn't dead or injured, so he paid closer attention to the princess. "Is being normal… Enjoyable?" Zelda asked suddenly. She didn't even have time to process what she was going to say. She simply let the words tumble out of her royal mouth. That _never_ happened. Not since she was about four years old and trained to think about every word she said. Link, however, didn't consider it an abnormality.

"Yeah, I guess so. Before everything happened, I was pretty happy. I still am, but things are different now."

"Different?"

"Everyone knows who I am now. Everywhere I go, there's always someone whispering my name. At first, it was kind of nice to know everyone cared. Now, it's kind of annoying, honestly." Link paused for a moment, processing what he just said. "How do you manage to do it? There seems to be someone around you at all times." Zelda reflected on his inquiry before answering.

"Honestly, I grew up knowing I was a princess, so it's not very dissimilar for me. I do like to sneak away from my maids and noblemen every once in a while. With my parents gone, however, I have to take on more responsibilities." She paused for a minute, wondering whether or not she should tell him about her noblemen's obsession with her marriage. She decided against it and stayed quiet.

"That must be rough," Link murmured. They sat in silence for a few minutes, observing the occasional puffy cloud float by in the azure sky. The silence was quickly filled with more talk. They spent well over an hour discussing absolutely nothing in particular—simply enjoying each other's presence. A sudden sound of something hitting the ground made both of them sit up rapidly. Link withdrew his sword and stood in front of Zelda protectively, ready to fight.

"Ow…" a voice mumbled. Link knew it all too well.

"Miriam?" he called out, drawing closer to the figure lying on the ground. He sheathed the Master Sword and stood over the brunette, stretched out in the grass.

"Ah… Hey Link," she chuckled nervously, scratching her head. Zelda rushed over to her.

"Are you okay?" the princess inquired.

"Well, I think I sprained my ankle, honestly," Miriam admitted, eyeing her rapidly swelling limb.

"We'd better get you back to the castle," Zelda frowned, looking around. "Link, could you get one of the cloth napkins from the picnic basket?" Though the hero was quite aggravated with Miriam, he did have to admit that he was concerned about her well-being. He grabbed the napkin the princess had requested and observed her wrap Miriam's ankle with care. "This will have to do until we get you back to the nurses," Zelda stated in a confident manner.

"That was impressive," Link praised. Zelda's cheeks picked up a pink hue after his compliment.

"Okay, okay, lovebirds," Miriam joked. "Stop making me gag." Link scooped her up and set her on Epona. Zelda and Miriam rode on the horses, while Link walked along beside them. It took a while longer to get back to the castle, but they made it before the sun tucked itself below the horizon. A guard came rushing toward them as soon as they were in sight.

"Your Highness! We have been searching all over for you," he gasped.

"You did not search in Hyrule Field?" Zelda's expression showed she was not impressed.

"Ah… No, Your Highness." He lowered his head in shame.

"Fetch a nurse. My lady-in-waiting has a sprained ankle that needs to be treated immediately."

"Y-yes, milady," the guard answered, scurrying off dutifully. Zelda turned to where Link was carefully lifting Miriam from Epona's saddle.

"Do you mind carrying her for a bit longer?" Zelda inquired.

"I can walk just fine," Miriam growled, trying to squirm out of Link's arms. He tossed her over his back like a sack of potatoes.

"I think I can handle her. She's pretty small," Link teased. The guard soon returned with a nurse, who hastily took Miriam inside the castle to take a closer look at her. Once alone, Link turned to the princess. "I had fun today, Your Highness," he grinned, bowing, though he was still pretty bad at it.

"I enjoyed my time as well, Hero Chosen by the Gods," Zelda responded, curtseying with extreme grace. "I must return to my princess duties, unfortunately. What an unlucky day," she said with a sigh, walking back into the palace. After returning to her room, the princess did something rather unlike herself: she let out a squeal of joy.

* * *

**Told you it was a long chapter. I'll try to update again, but it probably won't be soon. Junior year's gotten a tough grip on me, and exams are fast-approaching, but I'll try my hardest! Thanks for your support, and always remember that I am SO happy to receive reviews!**

**-geekyfiki**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, so I'll stop talking as much before and after each chapter, but basically, I'm sorry for not updating due to EXAMS aaaaannnnd if you have any suggestions/comments/you just wanna say hi, pleeease write a review! Thank you! **

**Disclaimer: If I owned the Legend of Zelda characters, I would be rich. And if I were rich, I would _probably_ have better things to do than write LoZ fanfiction. So basically, I don't own any of these characters except for my dear OCs: Miriam, Maurice (ew), Bernie, etc. **

* * *

Chapter 4

A series of loud, persistent knocks on the oak door sent the Hero Chosen by the Gods tumbling out of bed. He stumbled to his feet, cursing the whole way to the door. Cracking it open so the light would not stun his eyes, he squinted at his visitor. Before getting the chance to speak, he slammed it in her face, locked the door, and began to stagger back to his bed. However, this person had an unruly ability to pick locks with ease and used it to her full advantage. Before Link was able to reach his bed, his door opened and he was unable to stop this visitor from happily plopping on his bed.

"Get out," Link grumbled half-heartedly. He knew he wasn't going to be able to talk her out of being there, though. She raised her eyebrow at him as if to mock his exhaustion. "Meer, shouldn't you be resting? Your ankle is twice the size it was yesterday."

"Shhh," Miriam hushed, putting her finger to her lips. "The nurse hasn't seen me yet. She'll just get mad and keep me in the infirmary. And that's no fun, is it? I wouldn't be able to meddle with you and Zel's relationship."

"Haven't you done enough meddling?"

"No, I don't believe so. The picnic was cute, but we need to get you two to be cute together."

"Meer, why are you even at Hyrule Castle?" Link asked. Miriam simply winked and continued speaking.

"I know! You promised her you would teach her to use a sword, am I right?"

"I can't believe you were eavesdropping yesterday."

"I couldn't let you screw things up," Miriam shrugged, examining her swollen ankle. She poked it, but Link swatted her hand away. "I won't be able to help you with teaching the princess how to use different kinds of weaponry. Even if I could, you probably wouldn't want me to. It'd be embarrassing for me to kick your butt in front of the princess."

"You let that ankle heal and then we'll talk about who's better with a sword," Link smirked, scooping up Miriam. As expected, she tried desperately to squirm out of his arms. "Now, I'm going to see what I can do about teaching Zelda, and you're going back to the infirmary where your ankle is going to heal."

"You wouldn't dare," Miriam hissed, glaring at him.

"Would I?" he smirked, walking right out of his room and along the halls until they reached the nurse.

"Where have you been!?" she exclaimed. "I've got servants searching the castle for you! You're our worst patient yet."

"I believe it," Link grinned. "Make sure you tie her up well. She knows how to undo knots with just two fingers."

"Why'd you have to tell her that!?" Miriam snapped. He gently set her down.

"And I would keep a close eye on her. Even when she seems like she's sleeping, she's usually plotting something." The look the lady-in-waiting gave Link was enough to terrify one hundred of Hyrule's bravest men. But Link had grown up with the steely look, and was completely unaffected. "Have a good day, ma'am." With that, he spun on his heel and headed back to his room.

»•§•«

After getting dressed, running his fingers through his hair, and taking care of Epona, he headed for the princess' room. Although Link was the beholder of the Triforce of Courage, talking to girls was a completely different issue than defeating Ganondorf. Completely different entirely. The hero had been nervous before battling the Triforce of Power, to be sure, but he never had the kind of butterflies in his heart and stomach that he did now. He hesitated before knocking on the pristine white-washed oak door. His heart pitter-pattered away, and doubts swarmed in his head. What if she's busy? She probably has some kind of royal meeting today. She probably just invited me to the castle to polite. Maybe I should leave. Have I overstayed my welcome? The thoughts became more and more absurd before he realized he was knocking on the princess' door without realizing it.

"Come in," a quiet voice answered. If it was possible, his heart beat faster.

"Ah, it's Link, Your Highness," he told her.

"Oh, just a moment," she responded. He heard the sound of soft footsteps before the door opened. She stood before him in a light lavender dress, her hair in her signature braid. Good gosh, she's gorgeous, Link mused silently. "Did you need something, Link?" Zelda asked politely.

"If you have any time today, would you like me to teach you how to use some of the weaponry?" he suggested, trying desperately to not sound awkward.

"I would love to," she exclaimed happily. "I have meetings until noon, but I'll join you in the weaponry field after that."

"I will make sure to have everything prepared. Have a wonderful day, princess," Link said with a bow.

"Zelda," she said.

"Pardon?"

"Call me Zelda, Link," she reminded. He blushed, scratching his head.

"I forgot, I'm sorry," he chuckled.

"It's nothing. Goddesses be with ye," she smiled before heading back into her room to get ready for the day. Goddesses be with ye? That phrase hasn't been used in a hundred years. Link contemplated there being any hidden meaning behind it but came up with nothing.

Now the hero just had to find a way to spend the long distance of time from the present time until after lunch. And that would possibly be the hardest thing he had to conquer that day. At first, he wandered around aimlessly, not sure where he was going or what he was doing. Eventually, he wound up at the stables. He washed Epona, brushed her, and even got the weaponry ready for later. He decided to practice with his bow and arrow, and even after all this was done, it was still not even time for lunch.

And so Link decided to do something rather foolish: visit the childhood friend he had pissed off royally earlier. He made his way to the infirmary, checked in, and sat at the foot of her hospital bed. She was reading a book, her hands untied. "I'm still mad at you," she mumbled, turning the page of the book.

"What are you reading?" Link questioned, ignoring her anger. It didn't look like a normal book—more like a notebook.

"A nobleman's diary," Miriam answered without hesitation. "Did you know… Actually, I'd better not tell you." Link knew the playful look on her face all too well. She had come up with a scheme, and she was going to stick with it. Lucky for him, he had discovered in the years of knowing her that if he pretended not to take interest, she would tell him anyway. He shrugged.

"You should probably put that back before they have you executed."

"The princess adores me. I'm sure she would rather behead the nobleman for this awful handwriting." She held up the book as if she were disgusted with it. "Who knows what this stain is, either." Miriam dropped it on the floor as if it were a hair pulled out of food.

"Miriam, put it back."

"I can't. I have a sprained ankle," she smirked, artfully tying her hands back up on the bed as if she hadn't moved at all. "Anyway, how are things going with the princess?"

"None of your business," Link sneered, fully intending to annoy the crap out of her.

"Oh really? Why did you come to visit me? Are you bored? I think you are waiting for the princess, but you're so excited that the time seems to be passing slowly, so you visited me." Bull's eye. Link said nothing, but instead sat silently in defeat. "So, if this is so painful for you, why don't you just run around Hyrule as a wolf for a while?" Link pondered it for a moment, but shook his head.

"A wolf in broad daylight would be suspicious, wouldn't it? I don't want to be shot with an arrow by some villager thinking I'm rabid."

"You have a point there, but you'd be alone if you went to Faron Woods or something. Or perhaps Lake Hylia."

"Miriam, I have to be back by noon," Link reminded her. She got a wicked grin on her face.

"Noon, hm?" He realized had just given away an important piece of information.

"Don't you dare think about spying on us."

"Oh, I'll think about it," Miriam smirked. Link stood up, walked around to the other side of the bed, and knotted the cloth holding her hands to the bed. She tried to get away, but it was too late. The knots were military-duty, and it would be a miracle if someone could get out of them without cutting the fabric. "You're an absolute-" Link closed his ears to her swearing. She was obviously very excited to check in on Zelda and Link's weaponry practice later.

"I'll see you after dinner," he winked, walking right out the door.

"Link! Come back here! I swear when I get out of here, I'm going to take an arrow and shoot it in your knee!" she shouted. He pretended not to hear her and strolled right through the doors. By the time Link left the infirmary, it was time for lunch. If it weren't so unmanly, he probably would have skipped down to the table with happiness. After wolfing down his lunch and making small talk with the nobles, he gracefully slipped out of the room and made his way to the castle's yard. There, he prepared the weapons and sorted through them, checking each one individually.

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" a voice asked. Link looked up to see the princess before him, wearing a red tunic, her hair pulled back into a braid. The Hero Chosen by the Gods could hardly move—let alone think. "Am I so beautiful you have no words left?" she teased. Link immediately thought of Midna, who had said the exact same thing to him after defeating Ganondorf. He smiled at her.

"Of course, princess." The words shocked even him. The blonde blushed and looked away. Lucky for him, Zelda was just as embarrassed as he. After composing themselves, they continued on. "What would you like to learn first?"

"I know archery and a little bit of swordsmanship, but I'd like to learn a little more of both."

"Why don't we start with archery?" he suggested, pulling a bow he found earlier. "You seemed pretty good in that fight with Ganon, but we may as well practice some more." They stood quite a ways from their target, and Link instructed her on how to hold it properly. "Who taught you how to use a bow and arrow?"

"Impa," Zelda answered.

"I can tell. Sheikah have a unique style. I'll teach you the Hylian way, though." He told her what to do, but she couldn't quite get it. "Watch-like this." He grabbed his own bow and arrow, showing Zelda the position, and shot at the target. Bull's eye.

"Oh, wow," the brunette gasped.

"I've had a lot of practice," Link shrugged, trying desperately to be modest.

"I can tell." She tried again, but still couldn't get it. Link shook his head.

"Here, let's do it together." He took the hand she was using to pull the bow back and put his hand over it, causing the distance between the two to reduce to nonexistence. Realizing just how close the heir was, he suddenly became very nervous, his heart beginning to race. Just pretend it's Miriam. You're teaching someone from Ordan how to use a bow, he mused. With that thought in mind, he held her hand tightly to the string. "Pull back, make sure it stays right next to your jaw. Perfect. Now aim... and shoot." Zing! The arrow flew through the air, sticking itself on the target, right next to the one Link had shot earlier.

"I did it!" Zelda exclaimed, dropping the bow and leaping up and down. Link laughed, watching the princess with a happy kind of glow. He had never seen her so pleased before. Before processing what was happening, he found that her slender arms were around his neck, wrapping him in a hug. He noted with odd detail that she smelled like lavenders. A split second later, the hug ended with her still excited, and him rather shocked. "May I try again?"

"O-of course," he answered, managing to compose himself. She took the bow and an arrow, holding it just as Link had suggested. She aimed, making a kind of unique, determined face. Her eyes squinted, her mouth open just slightly, and her brow furrowed. It's kind of cute, Link found himself thinking. She let go, the arrow making a kind of whoosh sound through the air before landing to the right of the center of the target. "That was great!" Link cheered. Zelda looked like she couldn't be happier.

"Shall we work on swordsmanship?" she suggested, putting away the bow and arrows.

"Whatever you would like, your highness," he smiled, bowing stiffly.

"Link," she giggled, pretending to curtsey awkwardly. She still managed to be graceful while doing it, though. "En garde!" with lightning speed, Link unsheathed the Master Sword, parrying her strike with ease. She swung at his legs, but he quickly dodged, instincts taking over and his moves becoming smoother. Whenever he fought, he was able to stop thinking about his everyday worries. He went from easy-going and calm to focused and determined. However, he also went easy on Zelda. He knew the princess was trained, though not nearly as skilled as he. Strike. Parry. Strike. Dodge. They fought like this until he noticed she was getting tired. He knocked the sword out of her hand, causing her to defend herself without a weapon. She swept across his legs with her foot, causing them to both fall on the ground. He hovered over her, surprisingly close to her face. _She's got nice skin,_ he found himself thinking. Link realized just how close he was to the princess and quickly scrambled up.

"You put up a great fight, princess," he told her, sheathing the Master Sword. She shrugged, standing up and brushing herself off.

"You were taking it easy on me, after all." Link froze. _She saw right through me, didn't she?_ "It's easy to tell that Hyrule's Hero would beat their relatively untrained princess in a swordfight. I did, after all, watch you defeat Ganondorf, who was about three times your size." He wasn't sure whether he should take that as a compliment or an insult. Perhaps a back-handed compliment?

"No matter what you say, you still fight very well. You're often very busy, so I'm surprised you had any training at all," he pointed out.

"My nursemaid was sure to train me in the most basic weaponry. I'm afraid of another Zant encounter, so I've found time to practice more." She shuddered, and Link wanted nothing more than to put his arms around her to calm her. That, however, would be extremely improper.

"I'll take care of anything that comes your way, Zelda."

"Thank you, Link," she smiled, her blue eyes lighting up with happiness as she walked. "Say, there's a little farmer's market in Castle Town tomorrow, and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me."

"You want me to go with you? Won't you need more guards?" he questioned. Zelda immediately looked around, then leaned in as if to tell him a secret.

"Not if I dress as a peasant and slip out," she grinned. Link was shocked. Princess Zelda- _the_ Princess Zelda- doing something unladylike? He knew she was capable, but he never thought she would do something so deceiving.

"You'll be in danger," he pointed out.

"That's why you're coming, silly," she laughed. A kind of pang went through his heart. _She only wants me there for security._ "My father always said a monarch should stay close to their people and even walk among them whenever possible. He used to do the same thing, and I hope to teach my children to as well."

"Well, if you're determined to go, I suppose I had better go as well." Although the princess only wanted him there for protection, he was still excited about the prospect of spending another day with her.

"It's a deal, then. Pick me up tomorrow morning and dress in peasant clothes."

"Princess, I only own peasant clothes," he joked. She smiled, making him even more anxious.

"Nothing that you'll be recognized in."

"So no green?"

"No green," Zelda agreed. "Thank you for teaching me, Link."

"My pleasure. I didn't even teach you that much. We just practiced."

"At any rate, I appreciate it."

"I'll take the weaponry back and put everything away," he suggested.

"Thanks, Link," the princess smiled, curtseying and heading toward the door. He watched her walk away gracefully. _Everything she does is so fluid and lady-like. I could never manage to do all of that._ He watched her slip out the door and disappear from him.

»•§•«

Zelda marched down the hall toward her next meeting with the council members. She had gone to her room, changed, and quickly walked to the throne room. _We'll have to discuss moving the meeting room out of the throne room…_ she thought to herself. She opened the doors with gusto, puffing out her chest and standing up straighter to make her seem a little larger and more intimidating. She hadn't had a meeting with her council since the day she stormed out at the idea of marriage. She prayed they had decided to drop the subject but somehow doubted it.

"Your highness," a duke bowed, trying desperately to suck up to the princess-afraid of her wrath.

"Don't 'your highness' me, Sir Richard," she snapped. He took a step back, alarmed by her quick temper. "What do we need to speak about?"

"T-the upcoming ball, your marriage, and treaties with the Zoras," Duke Richard squeaked out.

"I see you wedged my marriage in there to be sneaky, hm?" the princess snarled. "Let's talk about the other two things, and then I'll really let you know what I think about that whole marriage thing. Shall we start with the treaty with the Zoras?" They discussed treaties for quite some time, then moved onto the subject of the ball. Finally, after all that was discussed about, the room fell silent. "Well, noblemen," Zelda started, standing up. "Unless you have another half-witted remark about the idea of my marriage, this meeting is over."

"Actually, if I could, your highness," Maurice stood, ready to speak. She rolled her eyes, reclining back in her chair. "A princess' marriage to another prince or nobleman is required before her coronation. However, as the supply of suitable princes and noblemen your age is quite low, we agreed on something."

"You agreed on something? _You_ agreed on something? Must I remind you that _I_ am the reigning monarch-even if I am only a princess, my coronation is fast-approaching, and you cannot prevent it from happening."

"But we can and we _will._" Maurice looked at her fiercely. She stared right back, never breaking eye contact. It was a frightening tactic her father had taught her long ago. Maurice looked away, ashamed, but continued. "Not only is it tradition, but it is law. And not only is it law and tradition, but it is part of the prophecy-"

"I do not care about the law, prophecy, and tradition!" the princess shouted. "You do not control me. None of you control _my_ life. I am not a pawn in this game of politics."

"Princess if you will stop shouting!" Maurice snapped. She stared at him again, deciding whether or not to keep up the chaos. "We are your council members-your noblemen. You may not know this, but the law clearly states that if four fifths of the council agrees the monarch is too ill, psychotic, or simply unfit to rule, we can overthrow them with a simple vote." Zelda's face paled. Maurice's voice got lower, more stern. "You _will_ marry, and you _will_ marry before your coronation."

"Meeting adjourned," the princess said quickly, walking out of the room. She struggled to stay composed. So many emotions ran through her head: pain, hatred, sorrow, frustration, desperation, and outrage. She needed to talk to someone-even if it was just to explain the situation. Without thinking, she ran to the infirmary.

"Zellie?" a familiar voice said. While the nickname did not make her happy, the person did.

"Ah, Miriam," she let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding in. "So much is going on. What am I going to do? How do I even function with all of this?"

"Princess, what is it?" the lady-in-waiting asked, casually sitting up in the hospital bed, dangling her feet over the edge. (The princess could have sworn she was tied down earlier, but she had more pressing matters to think about.) Miriam patted the space next to the disheveled bed, offering the princess a seat. She politely sat. She then proceeded to pour out her heart to Miriam, which included a good hour of ranting and a few tears. As sneaky, conniving, and sly as Miriam was, she was also a great listener.

* * *

**The next chapter will be better and more action-packed I swear ;~;**


	5. Chapter 5

**By Farore this is a fast update! Now that it's summer, I can update a _little_ more quickly. ((Although I will be getting a job soon and studying for the ACT and all that nonsense so my schedule is a little weird.)) Anyway, enjoy! This chapter has a little more drama. It moves quickly, so make sure you don't skip around like I do sometimes. ^^'**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Nintendo. I wish I did. I don't. So Link, Zelda, and pretty much all of Hyrule are not mine. **

* * *

Chapter 5

Link found himself pacing in the halls of the castle. He hadn't seen Zelda since the day before at their training session, though he had visited Miriam. His childhood friend had mentioned that she talked to Zelda and that the princess had a lot on her mind. (Miriam had then gotten an evil grin across her face, but Link chose to ignore it. He had discovered that instead of questioning the little minx, it was easier to just ignore her plotting altogether.) Zelda had, however, invited him to the festivities, and he was not one to ditch the princess-or anyone, for that matter.

"Link," he heard someone say. Spinning around, he saw someone he hardly recognized. At least, he didn't realize who it was at first. Looking closer at their face, he realized it was the princess. He stared at her. She was wearing a plain, brown dress and apron, her hair tied up with a matching cloth. She had a basket in hand, though it was empty. Despite her best attempts at putting a little dirt on her face, it was still obvious her face was quite beautiful. "Do I look like a farmer'?" she questioned, twirling around so he could see her entire get-up.

"Remarkably so," he answered. He, himself, was in a brown tunic that resembled his old green one quite well. (Miriam had convinced him to drop the hat for once, though.) He had replaced his familiar blue shield with a wooden one (he still needed to protect the princess), and used a kind of cloth sheath for the hilt of the Master Sword. Miriam had made it for him a while back. There were some situations he didn't want to be recognized in, and it came in handy when people couldn't recognize the famous weapon. "Should we get going?" he suggested, extending an arm. Zelda took it, giggling.

"Just a little note," she said. "When we're in public, I'll go by Sadie, and you will go by Tibalt. You are a farmer, and I am your wife."

"M-my wife?" Link was surprised by her matter-of-fact tone of voice and the bluntness of the statement.

"We have to make this look believable, and I'd rather not be the talk of scandal. Since we are around the same age, you could not possibly be my father."

"I could be your brother," he suggested.

"But farmers typically go to markets themselves, rather than their sons going. And by this age, most girls are married. It would be unusual for a married woman to go to a market with her brother. We want to look as typical and forgetful as possible."

"Right," he confirmed, letting it sink in that he was to pretend to be Zelda's husband. Er-not Zelda. _Sadie._ The newly transformed princess showed him a way out the castle he had never seen before.

"There are many escape routes for the monarchs," she explained in a whisper, as not to disturb the guards. (Link chose not to remind her that the guards were practically deaf.) "We have to memorize each one before we are twelve."

"In case something happens?" he murmured back. She nodded.

"Or if we want to go to a farmers' market in peasant clothing." With that, the two of them sneakily made their way into castle town, pretending to be common, run-of-the-mill people. "Tibalt, look at these apples. They're impeccable," she grinned, picking one up. He noted that the seller looked quite proud when she stated this. "May I buy a few?" she asked the man. He nodded vigorously. The seller even helped her pick out which ones were the best, and minutes later, she had about five rosy red apples in her basket.

"Thank you for your business," the man said with a bow. Zelda curtseyed-a little too gracefully.

"Bow less gracefully next time," Link whispered in her ear. She nodded.

"Sometimes I forget," she blushed. They worked their way around the fountain, talking to many different people: buyers, farmers, onlookers, merchants, cooks, and so many more. Zelda was friendly and bubbly as ever. It seemed that wherever they went, she lit up the place. Link was finding it to be a bit contagious as well. He thought of something he could do, and though it made him a bit chagrined, he followed through anyway. Mustering up every bit of courage he had, he gently grabbed ahold of the princess' hand. "L-Tibalt?" she stuttered, looking at him.

"Ah… We're just a married couple. Nothing unusual, right?" he said, a blush and a grin simultaneously sneaking up on his face.

"Of course," she said, looking at him with the utmost confidence. When she looked away, however, he noted with a sense of pride that he could detect the slightest bit of pink on her cheeks.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Sadie?" he asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

"I love it," she exclaimed, eyeing another seller. Her basket, at this point, was overflowing with fruit, vegetables, pastries, and other items. "My father and I used to go to markets like these all the time. People around here are so kind and friendly. I absolutely love it."

"I have to admit, the people are always good-natured. Hyrule has such a welcoming attitude," Link added. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a hooded figure. They moved with caution-too much caution. Link watched carefully, his body becoming tense in case of attack. "Get behind me," he muttered to Zelda. She instantly obeyed, pretending to eye another vendor's fruit. Link scanned the crowd for the hooded figure, unable to find him.

Quite suddenly, Link found them. Right next to them, the figure stood, just as tense as Link. Out of the corner of his eye, the Hero caught something shimmer. _A knife!_ Link stood, ready to unsheathe his sword and grab his shield. The hooded person came even closer to the princess, gripping the knife harder.

He raised his arm, ready to plunge the dagger into the princess. However, Link was faster, grabbing his shield and causing the assailant to plunge the knife into it. "Guards!" Link shouted, kicking the attacker down with his foot. The hooded figure got up hurriedly, grabbing his dagger and dashing away from the scene. Link turned to the princess. "Are you alright?" he asked her. She nodded, looking a bit shaken up. The guards hurried over, asking a million questions at once. Link leaned into one's ear and told him to take the princess back to the castle. With that, Zelda was escorted away while Link ran to catch the criminal.

He jogged through Castle Town down every street and alley he knew. He searched for hours, not eating lunch or dinner due to his distress. He questioned every witness he could find, and even managed to find the dagger as the sun was going down. He gripped it hard, as if it would slip out of his grip, and he would lose it again. He made his way to the castle, criminal's weapon in hand. Several guards, noblemen, and servants surrounded him, asking him questions.

"Where is the princess?" he questioned.

"In the infirmary, sir," a servant answered. Link thanked him, pushed his way through the others, and made his way to the infirmary.

"Link!" Zelda exclaimed upon seeing him. She was sitting next to Miriam on the bed, her face showing her relief at the sight of him. She ran up to him, hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad you're safe."

"You're glad _I'm_ safe? I'm glad _you're_ safe," he chuckled, holding the princess tightly. He let her go eventually, pulling out the knife from the attacker. "I found it lying on the pavement," he told her.

"The dagger?" Miriam piped up. She had been silent during their exchange, but upon hearing anything that led to adventure, Miriam always showed interest. Link nodded.

"Do you have any idea who it might belong to?" he asked, handing it to her. She inspected it carefully, holding it up to the light, touching the engravings, peering at the wood.

"She's much better with daggers than I am," Link told Zelda in a way of explanation. She simply nodded.

"It belongs to a rich person," Miriam announced after a while. "He's right-handed, you can tell from the way it bends at the tip. It looks like he really aimed to kill. You're lucky Link was there to save you, princess. This thing is in bad shape."

"Is there any way you can trace it back to its owner?" Link questioned. She shook her head.

"The initials of the owner are usually engraved at the bottom here, but they seem to have been carved out." They sat in silence for a moment, pondering. "Link!" Miriam suddenly exclaimed.

"What is it?"

"You could transform into a wolf and see if you can smell who it belongs to. You know, trace it."

"That's actually a brilliant idea," Zelda agreed.

"Don't say it as if you're surprised I said something intelligent," Miriam teased.

"It may not work, but it's worth a shot," Link nodded. "If the servants see a wolf in the castle, won't they get suspicious?" he asked. Zelda laughed.

"We'll take it outside," she said.

"No, Link and I will take it outside," Miriam corrected. "You're in danger until we catch the assailant."

"No, actually, _I_ will take it outside," Link said, snatching up the weapon. "You still have a sprained ankle." Miriam crossed her arms, pouting.

"Minor details," she growled, glancing at her ankle. It was still swollen, since she never listened to the nurses.

"Perhaps if you stayed in bed like you're supposed to, it wouldn't still be injured," Link reminded her. She simply stuck out her tongue at him.

"Know-it-all," the brunette sneered.

"You two are just like siblings," Zelda giggled.

"I refuse to be related to him," Miriam said, poking Link in the gut. "Now get to work."

"So bossy," the Hero scoffed, taking the dagger. "Keep Zelda out of danger, okay?" he told Miriam.

"Whatever you say, loverboy." Link chose to ignore her, though his cheeks were tinted red as he left.

»•§•«

Zelda sat with Miriam while Link was (literally) sniffing out her attacker. They stayed silent for a long time, both thinking and worrying about the matter at hand. The princess was still shaken up. There had been attempts on her life in the past, but none so blunt and near. _If it had been anyone but Link, I would not be here,_ she pondered. Her head was swirling, her tears begging to spill over onto her cheeks, but she refused to cry in the presence of others. It was a weakness she would not show.

"Zelda, you realize you're allowed to cry in front of me, right?" Miriam murmured quietly. Zelda had never seen the lady-in-waiting get so serious so suddenly. She was a mysterious creature. A kind of playful, yet powerful girl. The princess took a deep breath, keeping her emotions bottled as tightly as she could.

"I am not allowed to cry in front of another person. Not unless they are a close relative, like my parents or a sibling."

"Did you ever have any siblings?" Miriam asked, scooting over so the princess could sit next to her. Zelda shook her head.

"No. My parents were old when they had me. It was difficult on my mother, and she was never the same after giving birth. She was much weaker." There was a brief silence between the two, though it was not uncomfortable. "Did you have any siblings?" This spiked something in Miriam's face that Zelda had never seen before. It was a mixture of sadness, regret, and bitter-sweet agony topped with her trying desperately to hide it.

"I had two brothers: one older, one younger. The older, Micah, died in the battle against Zant, and the younger, Marcel, died when he was four, of the plague." Zelda cringed when Miriam mentioned the battle against Zant. _The battle at which I was helpless._ When glancing at Miriam, she thought she detected the slightest shine in her eye-as if she, too, was about to cry. However, it was gone in an instant, and the monarch was convinced it was just a trick of the lighting.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Zelda said quietly.

"Link is like my brother now. He makes up for it in a way, I suppose," Miriam shrugged. "That's why I meddle in his life so much. I just want him to be happy."

"You know, Miriam, beneath all that sass and pestering, you're a really caring person."

"I know," Miriam joked, giving a wink. "I do love my little-big brother."

"Speaking of your little-big brother, do you think he'd like to be knighted?" Zelda randomly asked. The question had been floating around her head for days, but now that he had saved her, she had a reason to knight him. (Well, he _had_ saved the entire kingdom, but it was a little late to knight him for that reason only.)

"Link? Gosh, I don't know if you could get him to sit still through the whole thing," Miriam laughed. "He doesn't like to be publicly recognized, either. That's why he left so quickly after the war."

"Alright, how about a private knighting?" Zelda suggested.

"I could probably talk him into doing it," she grinned.

"Good, because people are starting ask why he hasn't been at _least_ knighted yet. The townspeople are practically expecting him to become a member of the court. Which, by the way, would not be a horrible idea…"

"If he wouldn't be totally opposed to it, which he would be," Miriam confirmed.

"If who wouldn't be opposed to what?" a voice asked, causing Zelda to jump. "Sorry, did I scare you?"

"Just a little," she admitted, jumping off of the hospital bed and walking over to the Ordonian. "Did you find anything?" He shook his head.

"For some reason, the person's trail led back to the castle. I checked in case I somehow got confused, but it definitely lead back to the castle."

"The castle…?" Zelda murmured. Link nodded. "Hundreds of people have access to the castle. Well, I suppose we can let ourselves sleep on it for now. It's getting late, and I am completely exhausted." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the main reason she wanted to go to her room. She was ready to burst into tears at any moment, but she wasn't about to let it show in front of anyone else-especially not Link.

"Good idea, Zelda," he smiled. The sound of her name coming from him made her happy. "Good night, dear princess." With a bow, the hero started for the door.

"What about me?" Miriam whined.

"Good night, Miriam," he said with a sigh, walking out the door, leaving the two women to themselves in the infirmary.

"Good night, Miriam," the princess said, curtseying.

"Good night, Zellie. I would curtsey, but my ankle is sprained, and I'm quite bad at it already."

"Completely understandable." With that, the princess made her way out the door and hurried down the hall.

»•§•«

The hero was tired-that was for sure. He had been through everything in his life: saving Hyrule, saving the Twilight Realm, being turned into a wolf, being told he was the Triforce of Courage, battling and defeating Ganondorf, who was three times his size, and many more things. However, nothing terrified him more than the princess. Around her, he could not control his emotions. Throughout his journey, he had one thing in mind: save Hyrule and the Twilight Realm. He did not have to think of his own emotions or personal problems.

When it came to the princess, every task was made personal. Link had worked hard to save Hyrule, this was for sure. Part of him knew it was part of a prophecy, and the other part knew that if he saved Hyrule, he would save his loved ones. There were few of them, but he loved them greatly. With Zelda and her attacker, he could not keep calm. He was constantly worrying about her. Every other thought in his mind was worry for the princess now. As much as he hated to admit it, Zelda was his main focus.

He knew sleeping would be difficult with the day he had, even if he was extraordinarily weary. Link sat with his head in his hands, pondering every possible person that could have walked through the castle doors that day. Servants, noblemen, knights, cooks, visitors, ambassadors, and many others were possibilities. His head swarmed with ideas, though he could hardly hold onto one thought before moving to the next. A gentle knock on his door sent him fumbling for the nearest knife. He clutched it, moving toward the door with caution.

"It's me," a gentle voice murmured. _Zelda!?_ Link was shocked. First of all, it was the middle of the night. Everyone was asleep. Secondly, it was the _princess_ coming to _Link's_ room. It wasn't even Miriam! Perhaps it was urgent. He opened the door, expecting to see the ever composed monarch. 'Composed' was not a good word for the girl at the moment. Her hair was a mess, her face was tear-stained, her eyes puffy and red from crying. Her nightgown was wrinkled as if she had been tossing and turning.

"Are you okay?" Link inquired immediately. His concern for Zelda's well-being was far greater than his concern for social expectations. "Come in." She stepped in, not saying a word at first. "What's wrong?"

"I couldn't sleep," she answered, her voice barely audible.

"Neither could I," Link agreed softly. She simply kept her head down. Her hands balled into fists, and she seemed to be shaking. "Zelda…" She looked up at him, her eyes showing fright.

"If… If you hadn't been there today… I would be dead…" she whispered.

"Would you like to talk?" he offered sympathetically.

"I'm just so scared, Link," she sobbed. More out of instinct and compassion than anything else, he reached out, instantly wrapping her in his arms.

"You have the right to be, princess," he murmured, still holding her. He could hear her sobs as she buried her head in his chest. They stayed like that for a moment before she looked up at him suddenly.

"I'm not supposed to cry in front of anyone," she told him.

"I won't tell a soul," he answered. Frowning, he raised her chin with his finger. "Well, now you've got tears all over your face." He wiped them off as best he could with his thumb.

"And all over your tunic," the princess said sheepishly. "Sorry about that." Link chuckled.

"It's nothing, I promise." He let go of her, though he did not want to. "Sit down, milady." They sat next to each other on his bed. Even though there were other chairs in the room, the nearness of each other was comforting.

"You have done so much for me, Link. You defeated Ganondorf and Zant, saved all of Hyrule, and let me cry in front of you. I don't know how I will ever repay you."

"Don't bother," Link told her. "You've already repaid me so much."

"What have I done for you?" she questioned, unsure of what he meant.

"Well, for one thing, you have let me stay at the castle. You take time out of your busy princess life to spend time with me, you put up with Miriam," at this, she giggled, "and you have become my friend. I'm a simple person, Zelda, and your friendship is all it takes to make me happy." She was shocked by this sudden confession. Though it wasn't an elaborate confession of love, it was one of friendship.

"Thank you, Link," she sighed. Realizing the situation they were in suddenly, she immediately spoke up. "I should probably go back to my chambers in case someone sees us together. Rumors have a nasty way of spreading, especially when it involves monarchy."

"Let me know if you need anything else, princess," Link smiled. She hugged him again.

"I could never thank you enough," she told him. With that, she got up and slipped out the door, leaving the Hero with a kind of bittersweet sentiment.

"Sweet dreams, my princess," he whispered, though he knew she was halfway down the corridor. It was more for himself than for anyone else. He realized, with a sense of sorrow, that he would never be able to be anything more than a shoulder to cry on for the princess. However, it made him content just to be near her. Her presence in the room made him instantly more joyful. The emotion was new to Link, and he didn't quite know how to explain it. After talking to the princess, he noticed how tired he had become. Yawning, he reclined in his bed, only to fall asleep instantly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Updating so quickly~ Whoo! Yeah I'm mostly procrastinating studying for the ACT. ^^' But anyway, I hope you enjoy! Remember to review, follow, and/or favorite!**

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Chapter 6

Link kneeled on the ground, trying desperately to stay awake during the ceremony. A nobleman's voice droned on and on, never seeming to end. In front of him stood the princess, all traces of her crying fit vanished. It had been a few days, after all. Link spent most of his time searching for Zelda's assailant. The times that he was not he usually spent talking to Miriam or the princess. After their late-night conversation, Zelda and Link had been confiding in each other more and more. Zelda told him she would rather be a peasant sometimes, and Link told her he still had nightmares from his travels.

Glancing up, he made eye contact with Zelda. She did not smile, but winked instead. He knew this as _I have to play the part of a stoic monarch, but I would smile at you if I could._ The nobleman kept going on. Every time Link thought he would stop, he would take a deep breath, swallow, and carry on. His knees were starting to become weak. He looked around slowly, spotting Miriam in the corner. Her ankle was healed enough to walk out of the infirmary, though she couldn't do much more than that. She always pushed the boundaries, however, so she was walking around the castle more than she really should. The brunette made a face at him. In an attempt not to laugh, he had to look away.

Finally, the nobleman stopped speaking. _At last!_ Link thought, relieved at the prospect of getting up off of his knees. Zelda spoke in what Miriam referred to as her "O Holy Princess Voice." "Great Goddesses, grant us your blessing and mercy as I act in your stead during this ceremony. I now bestow the blessings of the goddesses upon you," Zelda withdrew the sword at her waist, firmly touching both shoulders, then his head. "I dub you Sir Link," she said, sheathing the sword. In a quieter voice, she added "You can stand up now."

"Thank you," he muttered back, glad to have the circulation in his legs back. There was applause, to which he awkwardly bowed and smiled. The ceremony had been private, but noblemen still attended, along with Miriam and a few other people. Finally, the ceremonial part of it was over, and people came by to congratulate him and chat with others. His legs felt quite strange from all that kneeling, but he smiled through it. Miriam walked up to him - limped, rather.

"Congratulations, little brother," she grinned, pulling him into a hug. "I would go out and prove to you how I can kick your butt in a battle, but this ankle keeps me from doing anything fun."

"Perhaps if you rested once in a while, you would feel better," Zelda told her. Miriam rolled her eyes.

"Resting is for the weak." With that, the brunette limped away. The social part after the ceremony was, Link decided, equally as bad as losing circulation to his legs. He hated getting recognition for things. Partially because he was humble, and partially because he hated the stuffy conversations where he was expected to remember details about noblemen he didn't care about. Sitting still was not something Link was able to do. Beating the crap out of bulbins? Easy. Striking up conversations with distant royalty that required social skills? Not his forte. Finally, the throne room started to clear out.

"Is it over?" Link questioned. Zelda chuckled, nodding.

"It is, indeed. I have a meeting right after this. But would you like to go riding later?"

"Of course, Zelda," he said with an awkward bow.

"Thank you, Sir Link." Being called 'Sir Link' was an odd feeling for the hero, but he enjoyed it.

"I'll leave you to your meeting in peace," he told her. Leaning in so no one could hear him, he whispered "Good luck." He turned on his heel and left, hoping to sit down and rest his legs for a while.

»•§•«

The princess sat at the very boring, dull meeting table. She had finally convinced the court to house meetings in the designated meeting room, rather than the throne room. Why they moved in the first place was a mystery at first. However, as she sat in the room, she began to realize why they moved it. It was hot, stuffy, and dusty. She waved her fan in front of her face, hoping to cool off a little.

"Moving onto the discussion of the upcoming ball," Bernard announced. She looked up, interested in any subject that didn't have to do with the economy for once. "The invitations have been sent out and preparations are being made. However, with the recent attempt on your life, many of us are wondering if you would rather cancel it for safety reasons."

"No, it is fine, I assure you. If it will make you feel more secure, we may increase the amount of soldiers around and in the castle. If the culprit is brave enough to make another attempt, there is no way they will be able to slip by so many people without their face being seen. Make sure every person who walks into that ballroom is signed in."

"Great idea, Your Highness," he said, scribbling down notes on a piece of paper. "The other preparations are being made by the event planners. The ball will go on two nights from now as planned." As he said this, Zelda realized that with everything going on (involving Link), she had completely forgotten to find a dress, practice dancing, and figure out a date. _Perhaps Miriam can help…_ She considered. After all, the lady-in-waiting was getting better and better by the hour. Miriam did not, however, have any sense of style. She would have to call in another maid or lady-in-waiting.

"This brings us to the much-disputed topic of your marriage," Maurice chimed in. She clutched her closed fan tightly, trying desperately to control her anger. "Four fifths of us have agreed that if you do not marry or become engaged before your coronation, you shall have to forfeit the throne."

"Which of you men decided to vote for this idea?" She interrogated, her voice cold and steely. It was the scariest sound a man could ever hear. None of them raised their hands, so she chose to raise her voice. "Perhaps you did not hear me. _Which_ of you _fools_ voted to force _me_ into marriage?" She stood up, staring at whoever was brave enough to make eye contact. "If you do not answer, you will find out the full extent of my rage." Finally, Maurice raised his hand with confidence, making eye contact. "I figured you would be the first," she smirked, walking around the table. She leaned over one of them: Duke Richard. She moved close to his ear-this was a side of the princess he had never seen-and whispered. "Tell me, Richard… Were you one of those people?" He shook his head. "Don't lie."

"This is hardly appropriate, princess!" Maurice exclaimed. She looked up, glaring at him.

"You know what's not appropriate, _Maurice?"_ she hissed. "Your attitude toward me. It's like you don't want me to be sitting on that throne."

"I believe a king may be more suitable for the job." As soon as he said it, he realized his mistake. The others were just as shocked.

"You do not believe a woman like me can do the job? And just _why not?"_ He cleared his throat, trying desperately to get his words right.

"A man is more authoritative. And men take charge."

"And _I don't?_ Do I not take charge?"

"You do, indeed, Your Highness," Bernard agreed. He was sitting back in his chair, watching the princess fight her battle.

"Thank you. Have you ever known me to not dive into a problem? I worry about this country much more than you ever have or ever will. I have memorized every detail of the map, every up and down this economy has gone through, and the contentment of the citizens of Hyrule. I will lead this country just as well as any man. No one is more well-suited for the job than I." She made her way back to her seat. Rubbing her forehead as if she were getting a headache, she leaned back in her chair. "Seeing as how you refuse to drop the subject, however, I will see what I can do. Perhaps you would be happier if I had a consort?" Zelda had been thinking on this for days, and though she did not like the idea, it was better than forfeiting the crown. "Hyrule has been known to having a queen ruling with a consort."

"You do realize this still requires marriage, correct?" Bernard questioned quickly. She nodded.

"I do not want my country falling into the wrong hands." She shot a quick look over to Maurice, who stared right back. _And as soon as I become queen, the first thing I'm doing is getting you off of this court,_ she thought to herself. Sitting up straight, she regained her regal, ruling pose. "Do we have an agreement?" The court nodded, still frightened from her earlier display of dominance.

"Do you have any persons in mind?" Duke Richard asked, rather bravely. Zelda foolishly shook her head. She regretted it almost instantly. She _did_ have someone in mind, but she wasn't about to go around telling people.

"I have a son your age," Maurice announced, puffing his chest out in pride. Zelda scoffed.

"Aye, but so do I," Archduke Bernard pressed. "_My_ son knows his boundaries." This was the first display of any kind of aggression Zelda had seen from Bernard. He was always calm and polite.

"At least my son has opinions!" Maurice barked.

"Opinions that are much too strong," Bernard argued back. "You should learn to keep him in place. Just the other day I heard him going on about the way the princess should not be ruling! If anyone else had heard him, you could easily lose your spot on the court. He poses a threat to this country." Zelda remembered Maurice's son well. He was plain, with dark hair and light eyes. She shuddered at the thought of him. He always had an intense look on his face, like there was something going on in his head. Maurice fell silent after Bernard's accusations.

"Meeting adjourned," the princess sighed. Everyone quickly scurried out of the room, terrified of what had just happened. As Bernard was leaving, Zelda tugged on his sleeve, stopping him in his tracks. "May I speak to you?" she said in a low voice. He gave a curt nod, waiting for everyone to leave. After they were alone, he sat next to her.

"I apologize for my outburst, Your Highness."

"Call me Zelda, Bernard." She caught herself before she called him 'Bernie' like Miriam always did. "Is everything alright? It's unusual for you to lose your temper." Bernard scratched his head, messing up the fluffy white hair.

"Honestly, Zelda, I'm just a little stressed is all. My wife is complaining about how our son, Rune, will never find a wife, how I'm at retiring age, and she asks if we can retire and live in the country."

"Why don't you?" Zelda chuckled.

"My wife insists upon Rune marrying before he takes over my title. I do not understand why, but she's a stubborn woman, so I've learned to never argue with her. I enjoy being here as well, princess."

"Bernard, ever since I was a little girl, you've helped my father. You were one of the few he trusted, and therefore I trust you. But if you feel the need to retire, do not hesitate to do so. I trust that you raised your son well. And a little bit of youth on this court could be a good thing." This caused the archduke to laugh.

"I suppose we're all getting old, aren't we?" With that, he stood up. "Thank you, Zelda. I am in no rush to leave this court, but I will retire soon, hopefully. I pray Rune finds a good wife."

"Bring him to the ball. I'm sure he'll find a girl there," Zelda suggested.

"Good idea." He patted her on the shoulder in a fatherly manner. "Thank you, princess. You will make an excellent queen someday." He then left, leaving her alone in the stuffy meeting room to think about her upcoming marriage.

»•§•«

Link stood brushing Epona's mane, calmly waiting for Zelda. He smiled at the prospect of spending even more time with her. She never spoke of things that went on in the court, but she always seemed stressed coming from the meetings they had. He hoped a trip to Hyrule Field would help her calm down a little. Epona whinnied at him, waking him up from his daydream. He looked over, finding Zelda walking toward him. As usual, she looked absolutely perfect. Her hair was up in a bun so it wouldn't be in her face, and she wore a light orange tunic. She smiled pleasantly at him, making his heart race. _Goddesses, this girl is going to be the end of me._

"Sorry that took so long," she apologized, walking to her horse's stable, which was right next to Epona's. "We had a tough time discussing the ball… Hey, you tacked my horse for me," she smiled.

"I figured it would save you some time," Link shrugged. "What ball are you talking about?"

"You haven't heard about the upcoming ball?" she inquired, shocked. They mounted their horses, starting at a walk. Link shook his head.

"Even when I'm at the castle, I live under a rock."

"I suppose Miriam never mentioned it to you."

"If she did, I probably wasn't paying attention," he admitted with a chuckle. As they were about to leave the castle premise, Zelda caught sight of someone that made her skin crawl.

"It's Cedric," she whispered. Link looked at her, puzzled. She drew her horse closer to him so he could hear her. "He's Duke Maurice's son, but he's always given me the heeby-jeebies. Apparently he isn't fond of me or my style of ruling. Doesn't believe in women being the sole monarch." Link nodded, his expression hardening.

"Why would someone not approve of your ruling?" He seemed angry, almost hurt by the fact.

"Some people just don't approve. There will always be people who do not approve. My father did everything he was supposed to do. He kept the kingdom in check, ruled with a firm, yet kind fist, made sure the economy was going well, and kept everyone safe. Yet there were _still_ people who disliked him. Monarchs deal with people hating them from birth. It's nothing new."

"I just don't understand," he said with a sigh. They passed Cedric unnoticed, but Link noticed, with interest, that the duke's son looked angry and frustrated. Link unconsciously moved closer to Zelda. The finally made it to Hyrule field, where they let their horses graze as they pleased while the two laid back on the grass.

"Link, I mentioned the ball earlier," Zelda began, twirling a blade of grass in her hand. "And I was wondering… If you would, ah…" she stuttered, unable to get the words out. _She's never like this,_ Link thought. "If you would like to be my date for the night." The words shocked him-terrified him, even. Link, Mr. No-Social-Skills, accompanying the princess of Hyrule to a giant ball where all the people would be the rich and famous? Dancing and socializing would surely take place, the two things he hated most. However, spending a night with Zelda was a thrilling prospect.

"Of course, Your Highness," he answered, the butterflies in his stomach seeming to reproduce at a rapid pace. "I must warn you, however, that I am absolutely no good at dancing."

"Don't worry, neither am I," Zelda giggled. Without thinking, Link reached out and grabbed Zelda's hand in his own. It fit perfectly, like they were made for each other. He concentrated on staring at the clouds in the sky, but he saw Zelda turn her head to look at him in surprise. She looked up at the sky with him, staying silent, but squeezing his hand. He smiled, closing his eyes. _I wish this could last forever…_

Unfortunately for the happy two, the moment could not and would not last forever. Zelda had to get back to her princess duties, and Link needed help getting ready for the upcoming ball. He had to learn how to dance, find a suit that fit him, and practice his etiquette. It was all a very big deal for someone like him, who had never been to one. He didn't know what to expect either.

"Some days I wish I weren't a princess," Zelda murmured, sitting up. She let go of Link's hand, much to his dismay.

"If you weren't a princess, we wouldn't have met," Link pointed out. "We wouldn't be friends."

"Link do you ever wonder if…" Zelda trailed off, but shook her head. "Never mind." He didn't press further, as he didn't want to be nosy or pushy. "I should probably get back before the other ladies-in-waiting try to track me down themselves. They're going to want my measurements for a new dress," she groaned.

"I'm sure you're thrilled at the thought of that," Link teased sarcastically.

"I hate it when they measure me. It's not like I grow, so you would think they wouldn't have to measure me so often." She rolled her eyes. Link helped her onto her horse, and they rode back to the castle, where they parted ways.

"I shall see you again soon, Your Majesty. I had a wonderful time," he bowed regally with a grin. She smiled. They always did this around servants or other people in the castle. They feigned this stuffy air of nobility.

"I thank you, Sir Link, for taking me riding. I had a splendid time. Until next we meet," she curtseyed. Link took her hand and kissed it gently, bowing again.

»•§•«

"No, no, no, put your foot _here,_" Miriam instructed after Link faltered. He was learning that he was quite bad at dancing. "And don't slouch. You look like a hunchback. Always keep your back straight."

"I'm never going to be able to do this…" he growled. He felt a firm blow on his head. "Ow!" He yelped, rubbing the part Miriam had just hit.

"Say that again, I dare you," she warned. "This is just like learning how to battle. In fact, you even know what your opponent is going to do next. You just have to match it. You're little twinkletoes when it comes to fighting, so dancing should be no trouble at all. Just pretend you're in battle. But in this battle, you must keep your back straight and talk to the person."

"It's a lot more difficult than battling…" Link mumbled.

"Look, you're the Hero Chosen by the Gods, the Hero of Twilight, and the princess' date. If you can defeat Ganondorf and Zant, you can learn how to dance. Goddesses, you complain a lot. Now let's start from the top…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Alright, my lovelies. This is the last chapter of this fanfic. I knew at the beginning it was going to be pretty short (not like others I've written, which tend to be upwards of 40 chapters... Eheheheh...). So with this, I present to you the last chapter. As usual, follow, review, and favorite! (:**

**-geekyfiki**

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Chapter 7

The night of the ball was hectic and filled with anxiety. Everyone attending was running around, getting last-minute changes made to their outfits or talking about how excited they were. Women would spend hours and hours getting ready. Unfortunately for the princess, she was one of them.

"Ow!" she cried, her hair being pulled so hard she thought she would be bald by the end of the night.

"Sorry, Your Highness," the lady told her.

"Gentle on the poor girl. She needs her hair," Miriam reminded her. The woman nodded, though Zelda was pretty sure she didn't really pay attention to what Miriam said. "I tried to help Link, but he takes five minutes to get ready." She shook her head, obviously bewildered.

"All men do that, darling," another woman remarked, looking up from applying Zelda's makeup. "It's a wonder what they would look like if they took more time."

"Speaking of men," Zelda started. "Do you have a date tonight, Miriam?"

"Pfft! No," she laughed. "Not to offend anyone, but men are usually simpleminded. I can't stand them."

"What about Link?"

"He counts too," Miriam grinned. "It's not required to go with a guy, so I just won't. There's no need for one."

"So you won't be getting married, I assume?" The makeup girl commented. Miriam shrugged.

"Probably not. After this, I'll return to Ordon. And let me tell you, there is no way I'm going to get married living my whole life there. But I don't mind."

"You sure are interesting, Miriam," Zelda laughed.

"Your hair is done, Your Highness," the hairdresser remarked.

"Thank you. Now I just have to change…" She groaned at the thought of it. Every ball dress she had ever worn went with a corset. She doubted she would be able to breathe that night.

»•§•«

"Look, Prince Charming, just let me fix your hair," Miriam snapped. She grabbed Link's arm, causing him to bend over so she could reach the top of his head. She took a comb, brushing out all the tangles. "Do you ever take care of your hair?" she snarled.

"I don't usually have time to think about hair care," he reminded her, his voice strained in pain. He would take fighting fifteen bulblins than having Miriam fix his hair. She finally finished after what seemed like an eternity.

"There. Now you look okay," she chuckled, patting his arm. He noticed an emotion in her he had never seen before. She looked like she was tearing up.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"I'm just…" she trailed off, looking at him. "I'm so proud of you."

"Why?"

"Look, can we just have a moment where I say I'm proud of you and you say thank you? Or is that too hard to ask for?" _There she is,_ he grinned, relieved to see Miriam back to her normal self.

"Don't you have to get ready yourself?"

"If I'm late, no one will notice. If the princess's date is late… Well, that's a different matter. Now go out there, and woo that princess!" Link shook his head, though a red tint flooded his cheeks. "And don't forget to keep your back straight while you're dancing!" she called after him as he headed down the hall. He rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but smile. Miriam was always looking out for him.

»•§•«

Link and Zelda had agreed to meet outside the ballroom just before it all started. People were already gathered inside the large room, but Zelda had to be announced when she came in. Link paced the halls, waiting anxiously for her arrival. He adjusted his tux several times, checked his hair, and even wiped dirt off of his dress shoes while waiting. It was driving him crazy. Finally, he heard heels clicking down the hall and quickly looked up. There, before his very eyes, was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Her dress was dark green (his favorite color), and plain, but stunning. The top of it hugged her waist tightly, but it flared out dramatically when it hit her hips. When she moved, her whole gown rustled. Her hair was half-up, elegantly braided with a forest green pin in it. _By the names of Farore, Din, and Nayru,_ he thought. _I'm in love with the princess._ Zelda calmly walked up to Link.

"Sorry I'm late," she smiled.

"That's not the thing you should be apologizing for," he said quickly, deciding to be coy. It was rather against his personality, but seeing her even more stunning than usual made him blurt out things he wouldn't typically say.

"Pardon?"

"You should apologize for being so beautiful." She immediately turned red, shocked he would say anything remotely that forward. Before she could stammer out any kind of response, a butler came running up to them.

"Are you ready to be announced?" he asked. Link turned to him, barely processing anything that wasn't Zelda.

"Y-yes," Zelda answered. Link held out his arm for her to take, and together they walked into the ballroom, trumpets blowing.

"Her Royal Highness, Princess Zelda Harkinian and her escort, the knight Sir Link." They took their steps together, waving as they had practiced before. After being announced, the ball resumed. Hundreds upon hundreds of people were in the giant room. Most were dancing with their dates, while others were socializing. Some even sat in chairs, drinking heavily.

"So, what do we do first?" Link asked Zelda softly.

"We can dance. Or, if you'd like, we can socialize."

"Both seem pretty awful to me," he admitted.

"Pick your poison," she whispered back. He decided dancing would be the better choice for now. He could get the worst part done and over with.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, deeply bowing and extending his arm for her to take. She smiled. It was obvious he had been practicing for this occasion.

"Of course," she responded, taking his hand. He lead her to the center of the room, one hand on her waist and the other in her hand. They began dancing. "Link, you're not bad at this at all," she told him.

"Sh, I'm concentrating," he teased. "Miriam had to help me learn to dance. She nearly sprained her ankle again with me stepping all over the place." This elicited a cheerful, vibrant laugh from the princess.

"Speaking of Miriam, where is she?" the princess inquired. He pulled the princess toward him, leaning into her ear to answer her question.

"She's probably drinking at the moment. She always says she doesn't need a man to be happy, but at occasions like this, she's usually pretty sad," he explained. "But I'm sure someone will ask her to dance at the very least." Zelda nodded, smiling.

"She forgets her beauty," Zelda remarked.

"As do you," Link blurted out. He was just as surprised at his words as the monarch.

"Link…" she blushed, unable to meet his eye.

"Would you like to get a drink?" he asked quickly, hoping for a way out of the situation. She agreed, and he led her to get a glass of water. There, sitting with drink in hand, was Miriam. She looked quite lovely, Link had to admit. Her hair was curled into ringlets, falling gently down her back. The dress she wore was blue, as it was her favorite color. It tastefully hugged her sides, showing off that she did, in fact, have more to her than a quick tongue. "You look wonderful, Meer," Link told her. She looked up. Upon seeing him, she grinned.

"People have been talking about you and the princess, you know."

"Ah… How so?"

"They're practically asking when the date of the wedding is." He felt a tug on his arm, and looked over to see Zelda there. "Oh yes, go socialize," Miriam nodded, waving him away. As he left, he noticed her take another large gulp of her presumably alcoholic drink.

"Are you sure she'll be okay?" Zelda whispered, making her way to the socialites. Link nodded.

"Though she may be small, she holds her alcohol surprisingly well." And thus began the socializing part of the evening. Zelda and Link were swept into conversation with a daughter of a viscount almost immediately.

"You two looked rather cozy when you were dancing earlier," the girl stated, grinning. "You're a couple, I presume?"

"Ah, no," Zelda answered. Though Link knew it was true, he couldn't help but feel his heart drop a little upon hearing it.

"Really?" Every conversation after that was almost exactly like that. ("You two aren't a couple!?" "When is the wedding?" "It's so sweet for the hero and the princess to fall in love.") Finally, Link was dragged outside and into the empty, dark courtyard. They stood before a small pond, exotic plants surrounding them. It was peaceful outside. The weather was warm, but there was a soft breeze. The sound of the music from the ball was soft and muffled from where they stood. The only other things they could hear was the sound of crickets and the pond. Despite this calm scene, Zelda was clutching her skirts angrily.

"Everyone just assumes we're a couple!" she raged. "What do we do?" She wasn't expecting an answer, really. She just needed to rant. But she got an answer anyway.

"Why don't we just go along with it?" Link suggested. _This whole thing where I just blurt out whatever I want is getting a little out of hand,_ he mused, mentally shaking his head.

"Go along with it?" Zelda was thoroughly confused.

"W-well, you know… We've been spending a lot of time together, and I don't know about you, but you make me really happy. And we can just say we're a happy couple tonight and then pretend to break it off in the morning or even a week later if you'd like. I mean, really, you don't even have to break it off. It's just a suggestion, but we could pretend to be a couple for a while to make others happy and-"

Faster than he could comprehend, Zelda stood on her tippy toes, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. Link was stunned. Completely, horribly, utterly stunned. He was paralyzed, in fact. He found that forming a sentence was harder than he remembered, and his opened mouth wouldn't listen to his brain telling it to close. Zelda, however, gave him a grin, and started to walk away. Link mustered up every ounce of his courage and grabbed her hand.

"Link, what-" she started. But she never finished her sentence. She was quickly cut off as one arm wrapped around her waist, while the other was brought to her cheek. He pressed his lips to hers. At first, it was a gentle, yet firm kiss. But as Zelda snaked her arms around his neck, it deepened. Link learned that his mind stopped working with one exception: Zelda. All he could think about was Zelda. She smelled like lavender, he noted, and her lipstick tasted a bit like cherries. His hand tangled into her hair, probably messing it up, but the two really didn't care. Finally, they pulled away, nearly out of breath. Their foreheads remained together, their eyes locked.

"I love you," he said softly, eliciting another gentle kiss from the princess.

"I love you too," she whispered back. His brow creased with frustration. "What's wrong?" she asked, gently running her fingers in his hair.

"You're a princess."

"Don't remind me," she teased.

"We can't have a future together," he murmured, eyes closed in emotional pain. Zelda ran her thumb along his cheek.

"Sure we can," she whispered. "My council members have been telling me to marry or forfeit the throne. I doubt they'll complain if I tell them I've found someone."

"Won't they be angry that I'm not royalty?"

"Who would possibly question a marriage between the two of us?" Zelda pointed out. "You saved Hyrule. You're fit to be king." He chuckled, his breath tickling her cheeks.

"Me? A king? Can you imagine? I can hardly bow without being awkward, let alone rule over Hyrule as a king."

"We'll work on your bowing, I promise," she giggled. "And remember that we have each other. A monarch cannot rule on their own. They have their council, advisors, and friends. We'll make it through." Link nodded, kissing her nose.

"Marry me," he said. Though she knew he would say it at some point, she was still surprised.

"Of course," she smiled, hugging him tightly. For a moment, they stayed like that, peacefully standing in the courtyard garden. "We have to go back in," Zelda frowned after a moment.

"Your lipstick is a bit messed up," Link pointed out awkwardly, sliding his thumb across her lips to make it better. She laughed, giving him a kiss on the cheek once more. "Let's go in."

The couple walked right into the ballroom, no one giving them a second glance. They socialized a bit more, though neither one of them could focus on the small talk at hand. Link looked around the room, his eyes landing on a group of familiar faces. He tugged on Zelda's arm.

"Are those…?" he murmured. She nodded.

"Shall we go talk to them?" Zelda suggested. He beamed, walking up to the group.

"Rusl, Shad, Telma, Auru, Ashei!" Link exclaimed, shaking hands and hugging them.

"Well, hero, looks like you clean up well," Telma winked, motioning to his outfit. He laughed, though a blush crept across his face. "And to be the princess's date? Who would have thought."

"How are you, Link?" Rusl asked, patting him on the arm. "Uli told me to ask you when you're coming back."

"It won't be for a while, I'm afraid," Link answered. "But how are Uli and the baby?"

"They're fantastic," Rusl grinned, his chest puffing with pride. The group chatted a bit some more, talking about their adventures and how they explored Sacred Grove together. "You and the princess probably need to get back to socializing," Rusl laughed. "I imagine we're stealing you away a little too much." With that, they said their goodbyes. Zelda tapped Link on the shoulder.

"Look over there," she said, pointing to the dancefloor. At first, Link didn't think anything of it. Then, the amount of shock settled in.

"Is that…?" he started, staring at the dancing couple. Zelda nodded. "Miriam is dancing with someone?"

"Not only is it someone, but it's actually the Archduke's son, Rune."

"Is he a good guy?" Link questioned, suddenly feeling protective.

"He's one of the best people I know. He's Bernard's son, you know. You really can't go wrong with that family. They're wonderful people. His father is hoping to retire after he marries. Do you think…?"

"When Miriam has her eye on something, she always gets it." They watched as the happy couple walked off the dancefloor, sitting down to rest. Almost immediately, Link approached them.

"Don't say it," Miriam immediately warned, her face flushing a deep pink.

"I'm going to say it anyway," Link taunted. "What happened to not caring about guys?" Rune was watching intently. He was a good looking guy. He was tall, but not giant, his hair was sandy blonde, and his eyes were deep blue. Upon hearing the conversation between Link and Miriam, he stood up.

"You must be Link," Rune smiled, shaking Link's hand firmly. "I've only known Miriam for a short time, and I've already heard so much about you."

"Oh?" Link smirked, looking at Miriam for an explanation.

"He's been staying in the castle recently," she mumbled. "We met when I was still in the infirmary. He was making a delivery and caught me undoing the ties to sneak out."

"Is this the reason why your ankle has been healing so beautifully?" Link grinned.

"Maybe. And wipe that stupid grin off of your face, you snot," she hissed. They sat and talked a little longer. Link discovered Rune was actually a fantastic guy, and was probably the best match for Miriam there was. He could deal with her sass and even sassed back occasionally. _Tonight has been great,_ Link thought with a grin, reaching out to hold the princess' hand. She didn't move when he touched it, but instead kept her eyes somewhere in the distance. Concerned, he followed her line of sight to find someone freakishly familiar. Dark hair, light eyes, and a stoic face to match. Had Cedric's expression not been so haunting, he could have been attractive. He lurked in the corner of the room, his hands stuck into his pockets. _Does he have a knife in there…?_

Zelda looked at Link, fear deep in her eyes. Link gave her hand another tight squeeze before walking over to Miriam. "Do you have any knives on you?" he whispered. Miriam, noting his serious tone nodded.

"When don't I?" she grinned, lifting the skirt of her dress slightly to pull out a sharp dagger. "I have three on me at the moment. This is the most conveniently placed one." Link tried not to think about what she meant by that. She handed the weapon over discreetly, standing up and taking position to backup Link if he needed help. The duke's son crept slowly closer, pulling something out of his pocked slightly. Link stood next to the princess. Rune had caught onto the situation. He pretended to keep up the conversation with Zelda.

Cedric moved quickly, taking out the dagger from his pocket and moving for Zelda. Link, however, was faster. With a shout, he blocked the dagger with Miriam's. He used his foot to kick the duke's son in the stomach. However, instead of sending him stumbling back, the man somehow managed to get Link on the floor on his back. The dagger loomed over Link's face.

"You stopped me once, but you won't stop me again," he whispered, raising the dagger high above his head, reading to strike Link.

"Like hell," Miriam's voice came from above Cedric. He looked up to see the speaker, only to get a hard kick in the face. He fell to the floor, clutching his nose. Miriam scooped him up by his collar, shaking him. "If you're going to commit a murder, for Farore's sake don't do it next to the Hero of Hyrule." With that, she let go of his shirt collar, cause his head to hit the floor with a large thud. Link stumbled up, dusting off his nice clothing. The guards were rushing in to grab Cedric. "You guys are okay, right?" Miriam asked, looking at the other three.

"I'm good. Thanks for the backup," Link grinned.

"Miriam, that was knight-worthy," Zelda commented.

"Do you think she could become a knight…?" Rune murmured.

"It's possible. Well, she'd be the first lady knight, but I don't care, and _I'm_ the monarch," Zelda confirmed. Link smiled, glad that the problem of the princess' attacker was finally solved. He put his arm around Zelda's waist, pulling her closer. _She's my princess now._ The thought filled him with uncontrollable happiness. He had never even dreamed of having Zelda to himself. But she was his, and that's all he cared about.

"Link, is there something you aren't telling me?" Miriam motioned to the closeness between the hero and princess. His cheeks slowly warmed, but he didn't move his hand from Zelda's waist.

"Ah…"

"I _knew_ it! I called it! I absolutely called it!" She cheered. Then, she turned to Rune. "You owe me twenty rupees."

"You couldn't have waited until after the ball?" Rune frowned at the couple, digging into his pockets to pull out a red rupee. Miriam did a victory dance. After she was finished (although the smug look on her face wouldn't be gone for a good amount of time), Rune spoke up again. "So what's going to happen with that Cedric guy?" Zelda let out a sigh, leaning against Link for moral support.

"Attempts on royalty's life-especially twice-must be treated gravely. In past instances, these people have received the cruelest penalty Hyrule can offer: death. Locking him up would cause the people to riot possibly. I hate being a ruler sometimes," Zelda groaned, burying her head into Link's chest.

"Zellie, you've got to make some pretty harsh decisions," Miriam told her. "But he poses a threat to the common people. If he can't control his anger toward you and tries to murder you, he could easily kill a civilian."

"You've got a point there. For now, I think this ball is just about over. But I've got something to do first," the princess said. She grabbed hold of Link's warm hand and walked to the platform where the music players usually stood. All attention was almost immediately drawn to her. "Are my council members here?" she called out. "Step forward, please." They did as she told.

"What are you doing?" Link questioned softly, unhappy with the idea of being in front of everyone.

"Just calm down. You'd better get used to this," she smirked, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "Noblemen, I have found the solution to our much-discussed dilemma. This is my solution," she pointed to Link. He was confused. Horribly confused. "We will not only be married, but he will become king-not just consort." Almost immediately, she was greeted with applause.

"It's about time!" someone exclaimed.

"Took you long enough!" another shouted. The couple was showered with praise and happiness. They spent the short night hearing comments like "congratulations" and "I told you so" (mostly elicited by a certain lady-in-waiting). Finally, it was time for bed. Link was completely exhausted. He had spent most of the day being anxious about the ball. Then, at the ball, he had kissed the princess, admitted his feelings to her, and then asked her to marry him. An attack was made on Zelda's life, which was stressful. He was completely exhausted and yet he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep.

He paced his room, considering his situation. _I probably won't have much time to visit Ordon. What will happen with Miriam and Rune? Was Zelda serious about knighting Miriam? Does that mean Miriam will be living in the castle?_ That thought made him groan. _When will we get married? Where will it be held? How many people will be there? Will I make a good king? _His thoughts continued to swarm, unable to stop. He almost didn't hear the soft knock on his door.

"Who's there?" he asked out loud.

"It's me," a soft voice answered. He smiled, remembering the first time she talked to him when she couldn't sleep. He opened the door, greeting Zelda.

"Couldn't sleep?" She shook her head with a sigh.

"Me neither," he frowned. Once again, they sat side-by-side on the bed, enjoying the other's nearness. After a while, she laid her head down in his lap, closing her eyes. Link stroked her hair softly. "I love you, princess," he whispered, assuming she was asleep.

"I love you, too, hero," she mumbled back, yawning. "I couldn't feel at peace when I was alone," she admitted quietly. "Now I feel like I could fall asleep forever. You make me feel safe." Link smiled.

"I'm happy to hear that. You can sleep soundly now, Zelda."

"I like it when you say my name," she muttered, half asleep. He realized most of the things coming out of her mouth were due to sleep deprivation.

"Zelda, Zelda, Zelda." She smiled, becoming more still. Softly, he began humming her lullaby. Almost immediately, her breathing and heart rate slowed. She made a cute cooing sound. "You're going to be the death of me," Link murmured, carefully scooping her up. She continued to sleep soundly, even as he carried her to her room. He carefully set her on her bed, pulled the covers over her, and leaned in to give her a kiss on the forehead. "Good night, my princess. Good night, my queen."

* * *

**Ummm okay so there's an epilogue. But DON'T GET TOO EXCITED. Because the epilogue is super duper short. Like, it's barely over a page. But I hope you like the point of view and everything. Hopefully it'll tie up those loose ends. (;**


	8. Epilogue

Epilogue

The halls of the castle are quiet as I make my way through them. I'm humming softly to myself, delivering things to different rooms. My life has been a bit chaotic recently, but I'm happy with it. Today was none other than the hero's marriage to the princess. Er-queen. She's a queen now. The wedding went flawlessly, along with the long reception afterwards. The whole thing was actually quite boring, I'm not going to lie. But I'm always bored with long ceremonies.

My relationship with Rune has gone swimmingly. We're actually engaged to be married, but Link doesn't know that yet. He's been a bit busy recently. Perhaps 'busy' doesn't cover it. More like swamped. Every day he gets awoken early to be shuffled from lesson to lesson. He has shove twenty years of learning how to be a king into a matter of weeks. I've been taking care of Epona for him recently. Don't tell him I've done something nice for him. He might get the idea that I've turned soft.

Link and Zelda are a perfect fit for each other. I've seen a different side of Link since the princess came into his life. He was suddenly concerned for something other than the kingdom for once. I could tell the attempt on Zelda's life made him sick with anxiety. Of course, I've always had a way of telling the kid's emotions, no matter how thick-headed he can be at times.

Rune is now the Archduke. It makes me happy and unhappy at the same time. I know he'll probably have attempts made on his life (I'll have to protect him from those people, I suppose), he'll never have much free time, and he will probably constantly talk about the stuffy board of noblemen. Speaking of which, Zelda finally threw Maurice off of the board, along with his band of followers. She was allowed to choose whomever she liked to be on the board with her. One of them was Rusl, which made Link extraordinarily pleased. Perhaps the board will run more smoothly with more common people on it.

My knighting ceremony took place last week, at which Link stood making faces at me the entire time. He's lucky I didn't have circulation in my legs afterwards, or I would have tackled him to the ground. There was much controversy about the whole female knight thing, but I was happy to take on any challenger who did not see me as worthy. I trampled them all at the training grounds. Link said the success was going to my head, but I told him I was simply paving the way for future female knights. I could not have people question my worthiness to be knighted. After all, I'm there to protect the kingdom and the princess, so I don't see what the big deal is. The competitions have calmed down now that everyone has realized I'm as good as any other knight out there.

Hyrule Castle is one of my favorite places to be at night. During the day, you can hardly get a moment of quiet. There are always servants, butlers, knights, noblemen, workers, maids, ladies-in-waiting, and many others hustling around. At night, however, all is silent. It's like the castle takes a break to calm down and recharge for the next busy day. There's never a day where things don't seem chaotic. I'm curious to see how Link adjusts to the new busy lifestyle. Back in Ordon, he laid around and watched goats all day. At night, he would have to round them up and put them in their pens. He was always calm, until the whole Zant and Ganondorf and Chosen Hero thing happened. Then his life got a little less than tranquil. But he was still in his element when he was off being a hero. Now he'll have to be king for all of Hyrule. He doubts himself, but I have complete faith in him. He was meant to be the king, I believe. This whole thing was the three goddesses working together. I think of it, beaming. _If it weren't for him carelessly leaving behind Epona's Whistle, he would have never been king,_ I think to myself.

With this thought in mind, I continue waltzing down the corridors, the reason for Link's return tied to my apron strap. I look down at it. _This is as good a time as any,_ I think to myself, finishing my rounds for the night. I head toward the king and queen's bedroom, untying the object dangling from my waist. I turn it over in my hands. "You've been a great help," I murmur, tying Epona's Whistle to the doorknob. Although I know I really shouldn't, I press my ear to the door. I grin, turning around and whistling down the hallway. "Oh, how the mighty fall in love."

* * *

**Aaaand that's the end! Again, review, favorite, follow, and let me know what you thought! I'll be writing more fanfiction in the future, so keep an eye out for that too. If it's not Legend of Zelda, it'll probably be something like Rune Factory or Fullmetal Alchemist or something like that. **

**Shoutout to everyone who has favorited, followed, and/or reviewed! You guys really kept me going, and I'll be happy to do more in the future. Thanks so much, you guys. (: **

**Also HUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE thank you to Moe, my editor! She's the one that kept me from making horrible grammatical errors (like when I tried to write from Link's POV by accident in first person? Like, how did that happen?) **

**Thanks again, everyone. Keep leaving those reviews, and keep following and favoriting and all that jazz. Thank you, thank you, thank you. **

**-geekyfiki**


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